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'Coligny!    Coligny!    For   the   Admiral!" 


I 


r 


01, 


For  the  Admiral 


By 
W.  J.  MARX 


li: 


PHILADELPHIA 

GEORGE  W.  JACOBS  &  COMPANY 

PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,    1907,  by 
George  W.  Jacobs  &  Company 

Published  August,  igoj 


All  rights  reserved 
Printed  in  U.  S  A. 


TO  MY   WIFE 

BUT    FOR   WHOSE   ENCOURAGEMENT 

THIS   STORY   WOULD   NEVER 

HAVE  BEEN  WRITTEN. 


2137313 


CONTENTS 


PAGB 
CHAPTER    I 

A  Perilous  Ride         ....•••         x 


CHAPTER    II 
Tracked,  or  Not  ? .13 

CHAPTER    III 
The  Fight  by  the  Way 23 

•CHAPTER  IV 
How  We  Kept  the  Ford  ......      34 

CHAPTER  V 
A  Traitor  to  the  King     ..••••      45 

CHAPTER  VI 
Thb  Unknown  Cavalier     ...•••      56 

V 


vi  Contents 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  VII 
A  Commission  for  the  Admiral  •         •        •         •      67 

CHAPTER  VIII 
The  Tragedy  of  Jarnac 78 

CHAPTER  IX 
A  Glorious  Victory 89 

CHAPTER  X 
I  Rejoin  the  Advance       ..•••.     100 

CHAPTER  XI 
A  Desperate  Conflict        .         .         •         •        •         •     "3 

CHAPTER  XII 
The  Return  to  Rochelle  .         .         •        •        •     126 

CHAPTER  XIII 
A  Daring  Enterprise  .         .         .         •        •        •     139 

CHAPTER  XIV 
Scouting  for  Coligny         .         ,         ,         ,         ,         •     XSI 


Contents  vii 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  XV 
A  Glorious  Triumph  ....«,,     164 


CHAPTER  XVI 
A  Glbam  of  Sunshine         ...•••     176 

CHAPTER  XVII 
The  King's  Promise  ...•••.     188 

CHAPTER  XVIII 
A  Warning  from  L'Estang         .         .         •         •         •     200 

CHAPTER  XIX 
Who  Killed  the  Courier  ?  •         •         •         •     ai2 

CHAPTER  XX 
L'Estang's  Courier    ..*••••     324 

CHAPTER  XXI 
I  Save  Coroel's  Life         ..*•••    335 

CHAPTER  XXII 
L'Estang  Tells  His  Story 347 


viii  Contents 

PAGE 

CHAPTER  XXIII 
A  RovAL  Marriage    ....•••     259 

CHAPTER  XXIV 
A  Mysterious  Warning      .         .         •        •        •        •    271 

CHAPTER  XXV 
A  Dastardly  Deed    ..•••••     283 

CHAPTER  XXVI 
What  Will  the  King  Do  ?         .         •         •         •         ,    295 

CHAPTER  XXVII 
The  Day  of  the  Massacre         .         •         •        •        •     307 

CHAPTER  XXVIII 
Farewell  Francs      •        •        •        •        •        »        •319 

L'Envoi      •        •        •        «        •        •        ♦  •     33» 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


** 'Coligny!  Coligny!  For  the  Admiral!'"  Frontispiece 

"The  stranger  who  accompanied  him 

SAT  HIS  HORSE  LIMPLY  " Facing  page      2 

"  For  two  hours  we  lay  flat  on  the 
ground,  with  our  eyes  fixed  on 

THE     camp" "  160 

"With  a  roar  of  cheering  and  a 
hurricane  rush  the  foe  dashed 
forward" "  172 

**i     stretched     my     horse     to     his 

XTTMOST     speed" **  230 

"Some  of  them  as  we  passed  muttered 

violent  threats" "  269 


CHAPTER   I 
A  Perilous  Ride 

''  I  TRUST  no  harm  has  happened  to  my  father, 
Jacques.  The  night  grows  late  and  there  are  strange 
rumours  afloat.  'Tis  said  that  the  Guises  are  eager  to 
break  the  peace." 

"  Better  open  warfare  than  this  state  of  things, 
monsieur.  The  peace  is  no  peace  :  the  king's  troops 
are  robbing  and  slaying  as  they  please.  Frangois  of  the 
mill  told  me  a  pretty  tale  of  their  doings  to-day.  But 
listen,  I  hear  the  beat  of  hoofs  on  the  road  below." 

"  There  are  two  horses,  Jacques,  and  they  approach 
very  slowly.     My  father  does  not  usually  ride  like  that." 

"  No,  faith  !  "  said  Jacques,  with  a  laugh  ;  "  if  his 
horse  went  at  that  pace  the  Sieur  Le  Blanc  would  get 
down  and  walk  !  But  the  travellers  are  coming  here, 
nevertheless.     Shall  we  go  to  the  gate,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  It  may  be  as  well,"  I  answered.  "  One  can  never 
tell  these  days  what  mischief  is  brewing." 

By  the  peasantry  for  miles  around  my  home  was 
called  the  Castle  of  Le  Blanc.  It  stood  on  the  brow 
of  a  hill,  overlooking  a  wide  plain,  and  was  defended  by  a 
dry  moat  and  massive  walls.  A  score  of  resolute  men  in- 
side might  easily  have  kept  two  hundred  at  bay,  and  more 
than  once,  indeed,  the  castle  had  stood  a  regular  siege. 

F.A.  *  I 


a  A  Perilous  Ride 

According  to  Jacques  it  might  have  to  do  so  again, 
for  in  that  year,  1586,  of  which  I  write,  France  was  in 
a  terrible  state.  The  nation  was  divided  into  two  hostile 
parties — ^those  who  fiercely  resisted  any  changes  being 
made  in  the  Church,  and  the  Huguenots,  those  of  the 
Religion — and  the  whole  land  was  given  over  to  brawl- 
ing and  disorder. 

My  father,  who  was  held  in  high  esteem  by  the 
Huguenot  party,  had  fought  through  three  campaigns 
under  Gaspard  de  Coligny,  the  Admiral,  as  men,  by 
virtue  of  his  office,  generally  called  him.  Severely 
wounded  in  one  of  the  numerous  skirmishes,  he  had 
returned  home  to  be  nursed  back  to  health  by  my 
mother.  Before  he  recovered  a  peace  was  patched  up 
between  the  two  parties,  and  he  had  since  remained 
quietly  on  his  estate. 

He  it  was  who,  rather  to  my  surprise,  now  came 
riding  at  a  foot  pace  into  the  courtyard.  The  stranger 
accompanying  him  sat  his  horse  limply,  and  seemed 
in  some  danger  of  falling  from  the  saddle. 

"  Take  the  bridle,  Jacques,"  cried  my  father.  "  Ed- 
mond,  let  your  mother  know  I  am  bringing  with  me  a 
wounded  man." 

When  we  had  assisted  the  stranger  into  one  of  the 
chambers  I  saw  that  he  was  of  medium  height,  spare  in 
figure,  but  tough  and  sinewy.  He  had  a  swarthy  com- 
plexion, and  small,  black,  twinkling  eyes  that  gave 
the  impression  of  good-humour.  His  right  arm, 
evidently  broken,  was  carried  in  a  rough,  hastily-made 
sling ;  his  doublet  was  bloodstained,  and  his  forehead 
had  been  scored  by  the  slash  of  a  knife. 


The  Stranger  Who  Accompanied  Him  Sat  His  Horse  Limply. 


A  Perilous  Ride  3 

He  must  have  been  suffering  agony,  yet  he  did  not 
even  wince  when  my  father,  who  had  considerable 
experience  of  wounds,  set  the  broken  limb,  while  I, 
after  sponging  his  face  with  warm  water,  applied  some 
salve  to  the  gash.  But  he  kept  muttering  to  himself, 
"  This  is  a  whole  night  wasted  ;  I  must  set  out  at  day- 
break." 

"  We  are  going  to  get  you  into  bed,  and  dress  the 
wound  in  your  side,"  said  my  father  cheerily,  "  I  hope 
that  at  daybreak  you  will  be  sleeping  soundly." 

"  The  cut  is  a  bagatelle,  monsieur,  and  I  must  to  the 
road  again.     A  murrain  on  those  rascally  bandits  !  " 

"  At  least  you  will  be  none  the  worse  for  an  hour's 
rest,"  said  my  father,  humouring  his  fancy.  "  Edmond, 
get  off  his  boots,  and  do  it  gently  :  we  must  keep  this 
wound  from  bleeding  afresh." 

Between  us  we  removed  his.  clothes,  and  in  spite  of 
his  protests  got  him  into  bed,  when  my  father  bathed 
and  bandaged  his  side,  saying,  "  It  looks  worse  than  it 
really  is.  Now,  a  cup  of  hot  broth,  and  you  should 
sleep  comfortably." 

"  The  broth  will  be  welcome,  monsieur,  but  I  have  no 
time  for  sleep.  An  hour  lost  here  may  plunge  thousands 
of  good  Frenchmen  into  mourning." 

I  thought  at  first  the  pain  had  turned  his  brain  ;  but 
he  spoke  sensibly  enough,  and  appeared  deeply  in 
earnest. 

"  Can  we  help  you  ?  "  my  father  asked.  "  It  will 
be  a  week  yet  before  you  are  able  to  sit  in  the  saddle. 
Do  you  know  me  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  said  the  other,  and  his  face  brightened,  "  you 


4-  .    A  Perilous  Ride 

are  the  Sieur  Le  Blanc.     I  have  seen  you  at  Rochelle 
with  the  Admiral." 

"  Then  you  know  I  am  to  be  trusted  !  Mind,  I  have 
no  wish  to  pry  into  j^our  business  ;  but  perhaps  we  can 
be  of  service.     Are  you  travelling  f ar  ?  " 

"  A  week's  ride,"  groaned  the  man  ;  then,  raising 
himself  in  bed,  he  said,  "  Monsieur,  I  must  go  forward  !  " 

"  Pshaw,  man,  you  talk  nonsense !  You  haven't 
sufficient  strength  to  carry  you  across  the  room,  and 
the  wound  in  your  side  would  start  bleeding  before 
you  reached  the  courtyard.  Come,  throw  aside  your 
fears  ;  I  make  no  secret  of  my  friendship  for  Gaspard  de 
Coligny,  and  it  is  easy  to  guess  you  have  fought  under 
his  banner  before  now.  But  here  is  Jacques  with  the 
broth  !     Drink  this,  and  afterwards  we  will  talk." 

I  raised  him  up  while  he  drank,  and  presently  he  said, 
"  Monsieur,  if  I  rested  till  midday  I  should  be  strong 
enough." 

"  A  week  at  the  least,"  my  father  replied,  "  and  even 
then  a  score  of  miles  would  overtax  your  strength." 

After  lying  quietly  for  a  few  minutes,  he  whispered, 
"  Monsieur,  make  the  door  fast.  Now,  hand  me  my 
doublet.  A  murrain  on  the  knaves  who  brought  me  to 
this  !  A  knife,  monsieur,  and  slit  the  lining.  Do  you 
feel  a  packet  ?  'Tis  a  small  one.  Ah,  that  is  it.  Look, 
monsieur,  at  the  address." 

"  The  Admiral  !  "  said  my  father  with  a  start  of  sur- 
prise, "  and  he  is  at  Tanlay.  Man,  it  will  be  a  month 
before  you  can  reach  Tanlay  ;  and  the  packet  is  marked 
'  All  speed ! '  Do  you  know  the  purport  of  the  mes- 
sage ?  " 


A  Perilous  Ride  5 

"  It  conveys  a  warning,  monsieur,  and  it  will  arrive 
too  late.  The  Guises  and  the  Queen-Mother  have  laid 
their  plans  ;  the  Loire  is  guarded  along  its  banks,  and 
the  troops  are  collecting  for  a  swoop  on  Tanlay." 

"  And  Conde  is  at  Noyers  !  " 

"  The  Prince  is  included,  monsieur.  '  Let  us  take  oft 
the  heads  of  the  two  leaders,'  is  what  the  Italian  woman 
says,  '  and  there  will  be  no  more  Huguenots.'  And  the 
chiefs  at  Rochelle  chose  me  to  carry  the  warning. 
'  There  is  none  braver  or  more  prudent  than  Ambroise 
Devine,'  they  said.  Monsieur,  I  would  rather  have  lost 
my  right  hand  I  " 

"  Cheer  up,  man.  I  warrant  you  have  no  cause  for 
reproach.  Guise  has  his  spies  in  Rochelle,  and  they 
would  follow  you  on  the  chance  of  picking  up  some  in- 
formation.    When  were  you  attacked  ?  " 

"  At  the  close  of  the  afternoon,  monsieur,  in  the 
wood  a  few  miles  to  the  west.  They  sprang  out  upon 
me  suddenly — there  were  three  of  them — and  I  was 
taken  unawares.  But  it  was  a  good  fight,"  and,  in 
spite  of  his  pain  and  distress  of  mind,  his  face  lit  up 
with  a  smile  of  satisfaction.  "  There  is  one  trooper 
the  less  in  Guise's  ranks,  and  another  who  won't  earn 
his  pay  for  months  to  come." 

"  And  best  of  all,  the  papers  are  safe,"  my  father 
observed.  "  Now,  what  is  to  be  done  ?  That  is  the 
important  point.  The  Admiral  must  have  them  with- 
out loss  of  time,  and  you  cannot  carry  them  to  him. 
My  duties  keep  me  here,  but  I  could  send  Jacques ' 

"  Jacques  ?  "  said  the  sick  man  questioningly. 

"  He  is  a  trusty  servant ;  I  will  vouch  for  his  loyalty." 


6  A  Perilous  Ride 

Devine  shook  his  head.  It  was  plain  he  did  not  wel- 
come the  proposal. 

"  Trust  the  papers  to  me,"  I  said,  on  a  sudden  im- 
pulse, "  and  I  will  take  Jacques  for  company." 

"  'Tis  a  long  journey,  Edmond,  and  full  of  danger," 
said  my  father.  "  I  fear  an  older  head  than  yours  is 
needed." 

"  Jacques  can  supply  the  older  head,  and  I  will  take 
charge  of  the  papers." 

"  You  are  only  a  boy,"  objected  Devine. 

"  So  much  the  better  ;  no  one  will  suspect  I  am 
engaged  on  an  errand  of  importance." 

"  There  is  something  in  that,  but  this  is  no  child's 
game ;  'tis  an  affair  of  life  and  death.  You  must 
travel  day  and  night,  and  from  the  moment  the  papers 
are  in  your  hands  your  life  belongs  to  the  Admiral.  If 
you  fail  to  reach  Tanlay  in  time,  the  death  of  the  noblest 
gentleman  in  France  will  Ue  on  your  shoulders." 

"  I  will  do  my  best." 

"  He  is  young,"  remarked  my  father,  "  but  he  can 
bear  fatigue.  He  has  a  sure  seat  in  the  saddle,  and  he 
is  more  thoughtful  than  most  boys  of  his  age.  With 
Jacques  at  his  elbow  the  venture  is  not  as  desperate  as 
it  may  seem." 

Since  nothing  better  offered,  Devine  at  length  agreed 
to  the  proposal,  and  having  informed  Jacques  that 
we  should  start  at  dawn  I  went  straight  to  bed,  in  the 
hope  of  getting  a  couple  of  hours'  sleep  before  beginning 
the  journey. 

The  morning  had  scarcely  broken  when  Jacques 
wakened  me  ;  I  sprang  up  quickly,  dressed — my  mother 


A  Perilous  Ride  7 

had  sewn  the  precious  papers  securely  inside  my  doublet 
— and  made  a  hearty  meal. 

My  mother,  who  had  risen  in  order  to  bid  me  farewell, 
was  full  of  anxiety  ;  but,  like  the  brave  woman  she  was, 
she  put  aside  her  fears  ;  for  the  Admiral's  safety  was  at 
stake,  and  we  of  the  Religion  were  well  content  to  make 
any  sacrifice  for  our  beloved  leader.  I  embraced  her 
fondly,  assuring  her  I  would  be  careful,  and  proceeded 
to  the  chamber  where  Ambroise  Devine  lay.  He  had 
not  slept,  but  was  eagerly  awaiting  the  time  of  my 
departure. 

"  You  have  the  papers  ?  "  he  asked.  "  Give  them 
into  the  Admiral's  own  hands,  and  remember  that  a 
single  hour's  delay  may  ruin  the  Cause." 

"  He  carries  a  full  purse,"  said  my  father,  "  and  can 
buy  fresh  horses  on  the  road." 

Wishing  the  sick  man  good-bye,  and  bidding  him  be 
of  good  courage,  I  descended  to  the  courtyard,  where 
Jacques  awaited  me  with  the  horses. 

"  Do  not  be  sparing  of  your  money,  Edmond  ;  if  need 
arises,  spend  freely,"  my  father  advised.  "  And  now, 
may  God  bless  you,  and  bring  you  safely  through. 
Do  not  forget,  Jacques,  that  a  shrewd  brain  will  pay 
better  than  a  strong  arm  in  this  venture." 

"  We  will  be  as  prudent  as  the  Admiral  himself, 
monsieur,"  declared  Jacques,  as  he  vaulted  into  the 
saddle  ;  and,  with  a  last  word  of  counsel  from  my  father, 
we  crossed  the  drawbridge  and  rode  down  the  hill  to  the 
high  road. 

"  *Tis  a  long  journey  before  us,  monsieur,  and  an 
unexpected  one,"  observed  my  companion,  as,  turning 


8  A   Perilous  Ride 

sharply  to  the  left,  we  rode  through  the  still  sleeping 
village.  "  'Tis  odd  what  a  chance  encounter  may  bring 
about ;  but  for  the  Sieur's  meeting  with  the  wounded 
man  we  should  still  be  snug  abed.  There  is  some  one 
stirring  at  the  inn.  Old  Pierre  will  be  none  too  pleased 
at  having  guests  who  rise  so  early ;  but  there,  'twill  be 
another  coin  or  so  to  add  to  his  hoard." 

"  Pierre  is  a  wise  man,"  I  said. 

"  I  think  not,  monsieur.  There  is  little  wisdom  in 
saving  money  for  others  to  spend.  The  king's  troopers 
will  ride  through  here  some  day,  and  Pierre  will  be  a 
cunning  man  if  they  do  not  strip  him  as  bare  as  a  trussed 
fowl.  'Tis  more  satisfactory  these  days  to  spend  one's 
money  while  one  has  the  chance.  And  things  will  never 
be  any  better  until  they  send  the  Italian  woman  out 
of  the  country." 

Jacques  generally  spoke  of  the  Queen-Mother  as  the 
Italian  woman,  and  he  regarded  her  as  the  chief  cause 
of  all  our  troubles. 

"  She  cares  for  no  one  but  herself,"  he  continued, 
"  not  even  for  the  boy  king,  and  the  Guises  have  her 
under  their  thumb.  What  with  them  and  her  Italian 
favourites  there  is  no  room  in  France  for  an  honest 
Frenchman.  Listen,  some  one  rides  behind  us  !  'Tis 
the  early  riser  from  the  inn  perhaps.  Faith,  he  is  a 
keen  judge  of  horseflesh." 

"  And  he  has  a  firm  seat,"  I  remarked,  glancing  round. 
"  He  will  overtake  us  in  a  few  minutes.  Shall  we  quicken 
our  pace  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur.  If  he  is  a  friend  there  is  no  need ; 
should  he  be  an  enemy  'twill  but  arouse  suspicion." 


A  Perilous  Ride  9 

"  Good-day,  messieurs,"  cried  a  pleasant  voice,  *'  I 
trust  we  are  well  met.  I  am  a  stranger  in  the  district, 
and  wish  to  discover  the  whereabouts  of  one  Etienne 
Cordel.  He  is  an  advocate  from  Paris,  but  he  owns  a 
small  estate  in  the  neighbourhood." 

"  A  tall  man,"  said  Jacques,  "  with  a  nose  like  a 
hawk's  beak,  and  eyes  that  look  in  opposite  directions  ?  " 

"  Faith,  my  friend,"  laughed  the  stranger  jovially, 
"  you  have  his  picture  to  a  nicety.  That  is  Etienne 
Cordel.    Are  you  acquainted  with  him  ?  " 

"  I  have  met  him,"  replied  Jacques  carelessly.  "  We 
shall  pass  within  a  mile  or  two  of  his  place,  if  you  care 
to  travel  in  our  company." 

"  Nothing  would  please  me  more,"  declared  the 
cavalier.  "  This  is  a  stroke  of  good  fortune  on  which  I 
had  not  counted.  I  spent  the  night  at  the  inn  yonder, 
but  the  dolt  of  a  landlord  might  have  been  one  of  the 
staves  of  his  own  barrels  :  he  could  not  answer  me  a 
question !  " 

"  Ha  !  my  dashing  friend,"  I  thought  to  myself,  "  old 
Pierre  must  have  had  his  reasons  for  making  a  fool  of 
you,"  for  in  truth  the  landlord  knew  every  one,  and 
everything  that  happened,  for  miles  around. 

The  stranger  had  drawn  his  horse  abreast  of  mine,  and 
was  riding  on  my  left.  He  was  a  man  of  perhaps  thirty 
years,  richly  but  quietly  dressed,  wearing  a  sword,  and 
carrying  two  pistols  in  his  holsters.  His  dark  brown 
hair  escaped  over  his  forehead  in  short  curls  ;  his  face 
was  strong  and  capable ;  he  had  good  features,  and  a 
rounded  chin.  His  eyes  were  blue,  deep,  expressive, 
and  beautiful  as  a  woman's,  and  he  had  a  most  engag- 


lo  A  Perilous  Ride 

ing  air  of  candour  and  sincerity.  The  horse  he  rode 
was  a  splendid  animal ;  my  father  had  not  its  equal 
in  his  stables. 

"  This  place  of  Etienne's,"  said  he,  addressing 
Jacques,  "is  it  f  ar  ?  " 

"  Within  a  dozen  miles,  monsieur.  You  might 
easily  have  reached  it  last  night  by  pushing  on." 

"  Had  I  been  acquainted  with  the  road  !  But  it  was 
late  when  I  arrived  at  the  inn,  and  my  horse  had  done  a 
heavy's  day  work.  You  are  a  native  of  the  district, 
monsieur  ?  "  turning  to  me. 

"  If  you  make  the  district  wide  enough,"  I  answered, 
with  a  laugh. 

"  You  have  escaped  the  ravages  of  war  in  these  parts  ; 
you  are  fortunate.  One  can  ride  here  without  loosening 
his  sword." 

"  Yes,"  assented  Jacques,  "  'tis  a  peaceful  neigh- 
bourhood." 

"  A  pity  one  cannot  say  the  same  of  all  France,"  replied 
the  other  with  a  deep  sigh,  as  if  saddened  at  the  mere 
thought  of  bloodshed;  "  and  yet  it  is  whispered  that 
the  war  is  likely  to  break  out  again.  Has  the  rumour 
reached  you  down  here  ?  " 

"  We  hear  little  news  of  the  outside  world,"  I  replied. 
"  Excuse  me,  monsieur,"  exclaimed  Jacques  sud- 
denly, "  but  it  will  suit  us  to  quicken  the  pace.  We 
have  pressing  business  to  transact,"  to  which  our  chance 
acquaintance  replied  that  he  was  quite  willing  to  be 
guided  by  our  wishes. 

Accordingly  we  broke  into  a  canter,  and  for  the  next 
hour  or  so  no  sound  was  heard  save  the  beat  of  our 


A  Perilous  Ride  1 1 

horses'  hoofs  on  the  hard  road.  But  once,  when  the 
stranger  had  shot  a  few  paces  to  the  front — for  as  I  have 
said  he  rode  a  splendid  animal — Jacques  made  me  a 
swift  sign  that  I  should  be  cautious. 


CHAPTER    II 
Tracked,  or  Not  ? 

"  That  is  your  road,  monsieur.  At  the  end  of  a  mile 
a  cross-road  leads  straight  to  Etienne  Cordel's  dwell- 
ing. You  will  see  the  house  from  the  spot  where  the 
road  branches.  You  will  pardon  us  for  our  hasty  de- 
parture, but  time  presses.  If  you  put  up  again  at  the 
inn,  we  may  have  the  pleasure  of  meeting  you  on  our 
return." 

Taking  the  cue  from  Jacques,  who  evidently  did  not 
intend  holding  a  prolonged  conversation,  I  said  :  "  Adieu, 
monsieur,  and  a  pleasant  ending  to  your  journey.  You 
cannot  mistake  the  way,  now,"  and  directly  he  had 
thanked  us  for  our  assistance  we  rode  on. 

"  Rather  an  abrupt  departure,  Jacques,"  I  remarked 
presently,  feeling  somewhat  puzzled. 

"  Better  that,  monsieur,  than  wait  to  be  asked  incon- 
venient questions.  Did  you  notice  that  slash  across  his 
doublet  }  He  has  been  pretty  close  to  a  naked  sword, 
and  not  long  ago  either  !  What  does  he  want  with 
Etienne  Cordel  ?  He  looks  more  fitted  for  the  camp 
than  the  law  courts." 

"  Monsieur  Cordel  no  doubt  transacts  his  private 
business  for  him." 

"  No  doubt,"  said  Jacques,  with  a  shrug  of  his  shoul- 


Tracked,  or  Not  ?  13 

ders.  "  But  I  did  not  like  his  appearance,  and  if  we 
could  spare  the  time  I  would  ride  back  to  discover  what 
made  Pierre  suddenly  dumb.  I  warrant  he  misliked  his 
questioner  ;  but  if  the  stranger  is  seeking  information, 
he  can  obtain  all  he  wants  from  Cordel." 

"  You  are  no  friend  to  the  advocate,  Jacques  !  " 

"  He  is  a  spy,  monsieur,  and  a  maker  of  mischief. 
One  of  these  days  men  will  learn  his  true  character." 

"  I  have  no  liking  for  Cordel,"  I  said,  "  but  still  all 
this  has  nothing  to  do  with  our  errand." 

"  Perhaps  not,  monsieur  ;  we  will  hope  not,"  replied 
my  companion,  "  but  all  the  same,  I  wish  we  had  started 
an  hour  earlier." 

Honestly  I  felt  rather  inclined  to  laugh  at  Jacques' 
vague  fears,  for  the  stranger's  pleasant  speech  and 
affable  manner  had  impressed  me,  and  I  could  not  think 
of  him  in  any  other  light  than  that  of  a  courteous  and 
gallant  gentleman.  In  spite  of  wise  saws,  one  is  often 
tempted  to  believe  that  occasionally  fine  feathers  make 
fine  birds. 

We  rode  on  steadily,  stopping  for  an  hour  or  two  dur- 
ing the  hottest  part  of  the  day,  and  putting  up  late  at 
night  at  a  dilapidated  inn  in  a  half-deserted  village. 
The  landlord,  a  bent,  feeble,  old  man,  had  gone  to  bed, 
but  he  set  about  preparing  some  supper,  while,  since 
there  was  no  ostler,  we  fed  and  groomed  the  animals 
ourselves. 

"  We  must  start  at  daybreak,"  said  Jacques,  when 
we  had  finished  our  meal ;  "  that  will  give  us  four  hours* 
sleep." 

"  Fourteen  would  suit  me  better !  "  I  laughed,  as  we 


14  Tracked,  or  Not  ? 

followed  our  host  to  the  guest-chamber,  and,  indeed,  I 
was  so  thoroughly  tired  that  my  head  scarcely  touched 
the  pillow  before  I  was  sound  asleep. 

It  was  still  dark  when  Jacques  roused  me,  and  by 
dawn  we  were  once  more  on  the  road.  On  this  second 
day's  journey  the  ravages  of  the  late  war  were  plainly 
apparent,  and  the  sights  made  one's  heart  ache.  The 
fields  lay  waste  and  unfilled  ;  the  cattle,  few  in  number, 
were  mere  bundles  of  skin  and  bone  ;  the  villages  were 
half-emptied  of  their  inhabitants,  while  those  who  re- 
mained resembled  skeletons  rather  than  human  beings. 

"  And  all  this,"  exclaimed  my  companion  bitterly, 
"  is  the  work  of  the  Italian  woman  and  her  friends.  It 
is  time  that  Frenchmen  took  their  country  into  their 
own  hands  again,  and  out  of  the  clutches  of  these  foreign 
harpies  !  " 

"  That  can  be  done  only  by  another  war,  Jacques, 
and  surely  we  have  had  enough  of  cutting  one  another's 
throats  !  " 

"  It  must  be  either  war  or  murder,"  he  responded. 
"  The  Guises  won't  rest  until  they  become  masters. 
France  will  swim  in  blood  one  of  these  days.  Do  you 
know,  monsieur,  I  am  glad  that  Mademoiselle  Jeanne  is 
not  at  the  castle !  " 

Jeanne  was  my  sister,  who,  since  the  peace,  had  been 
living  at  Rochelle  with  an  invalid  aunt.  She  was 
seventeen  years  of  age,  a  year  older  than  myself,  and 
a  girl  of  beauty  and  courage. 

"  You  are  in  a  gloomy  mood,  Jacques,  and  fancying 
all  kinds  of  dangers  that  are  not  likely  to  happen.  Why, 
even  the  stranger  we  met  at  Le  Blanc  alarmed  you." 


Tracked,  or  Not  ?  15 

"He  alarms  me  yet,"  replied  Jacques  gravely ;  "he  is 
a  bird  of  ill  omen." 

"  Come,"  I  said  banteringly,  "  let  us  have  a  canter  ; 
it  will  clear  the  cobwebs  from  your  brain,  besides  help- 
ing us  on  our  way  to  Saintbreuil,"  the  little  town  where 
we  intended  to  pass  the  night  and  to  procure  fresh 
horses.  Jacques  had  an  acquaintance  at  Saintbreuil — 
an  innkeeper  who  secretly  favoured  the  Cause 
without  possessing  sufficient  courage  to  declare  his 
opinions. 

The  night  had  grown  somewhat  late  by  the  time  of 
our  arrival,  but  we  managed  to  secure  admittance, 
and  Jacques  had  no  difficulty  in  finding  the  inn — a 
fairly  decent  house  in  a  small  square. 

"  A  quiet  room,  Edouard,  and  some  supper,"  said 
my  companion  to  the  host,  "  and  serve  us  yourself. 
There  is  no  need  that  all  Saintbreuil  should  learn  of  our 
being  here.  And  be  quick,  for  we  are  tired  and  hungry, 
and  there  is  business  to  transact." 

The  landlord,  a  nervous-looking  fellow,  took  us 
quickly  to  a  chamber  at  the  farther  end  of  the  house, 
and  in  a  short  time  we  were  sitting  down  to  a  well- 
spread  table. 

"  Is  the  town  quiet  ?  "  asked  Jacques  presently. 

"  Quiet,  but  uneasy.  The  citizens  are  afraid  of  they 
know  not  what.  There  is  a  whisper  that  the  peace  will 
be  broken." 

"  Humph  !  there  is  more  than  a  whisper  in  some 
parts  ;  but  listen  to  me,  Edouard  ;  monsieur  and  I  are 
travelling  fast.  We  have  nearly  foundered  our  animals, 
and  yet  it  is  necessary  to  push  on  again  directly  the 


1 6  Tracked,  or  Not  ? 

gates  are  opened.  You  must  procure  us  fresh  horses, 
the  best  that  can  be  got." 

"  And  the  two  in  the  stables  ?  " 

"  Can  go  in  exchange." 

"  You  will  have  to  pay  heavily." 

"  Of  course  we  shall,  my  dear  Edouard,  but  monsieur 
is  prepared  to  open  his  purse.  Get  them  into  the  stable 
to-night,  and  call  us  at  daybreak." 

"  Can  you  trust  him  to  procure  really  good  animals  ?  " 
I  asked,  when  the  man  had  gone  out. 

"  There  are  few  keener  judges  of  horseflesh  than 
Edouard,  monsieur  ;  and  now  let  us  to  bed." 

Jacques  had  lost  his  gloomy  fit ;  there  seemed  little 
likelihood  of  danger,  and  I  slept  soundly  till  wakened  by 
our  host.  Dressing  hastily  we  went  straight  to  the 
stables,  and  were  more  than  satisfied  with  our  new 
animals.  They  were  beautiful  creatures,  shaped  for 
both  speed  and  endurance,  and  I  did  not  grudge  the 
money  the  landlord  had  spent. 

"  They  should  carry  us  to  our  journey's  end,"  said 
Jacques  in  a  whisper;  "the  sight  of  them  gives  me 
fresh  courage.  I  care  not  a  rap  of  the  fingers  now  for 
our  chance  acquaintance  !  " 

"  The  cavalier  seems  to  have  turned  your  brain  ! " 
I  laughed. 

"  Maybe  'twas  only  an  idle  fancy,  but  I  mistrusted 
the  fellow.  Perhaps  you  will  laugh,  but  I  thought  he 
might  be  one  of  those  who  attacked  Monsieur  Devine." 

"  Well  ?  "  I  said,  startled  by  this  statement,  and  yet 
puzzled  to  understand  how  it  affected  us. 

"  If  so,  he  must  be  trying  to  obtain  possession  of  the 


Tracked,  or  Not  ?  17 

papers.  He  would  follow  the  wounded  man,  and 
suddenly  lose  him.  He  failed  to  get  any  information 
from  old  Pierre,  and  he  learned  little  from  us  ;  but  the 
advocate  would  tell  him  everything." 

"  What  could  Cordel  tell  ?  "  I  asked,  still  puzzled. 

"  That  your  father,  monsieur,  is  the  chief  person  in 
the  district — that  he  is  of  the  Religion — that  the  wound- 
ed messenger  might  have  found  shelter  in  the  castle." 

"  Yes,  the  advocate  would  certainly  mention  that." 

"  The  stranger  would  speak  of  us,  too,  and  the  law- 
yer, recognizing  the  description,  would  inform  him 
who  we  were.  That  would  arouse  his  suspicions,  for 
you  must  admit  that  we  chose  a  strange  hour  to  ride." 

"  And  you  think  he  would  follow  us  ?  " 

"  That  is  what  I  feared.  He  is  splendidly  mounted, 
and  could  easily  overtake  us  ;  but  now,"  and  Jacques 
laughed,  "  the  case  is  different." 

"  Even  should  he  come  up  with  us,"  I  said,  "  he  is  but 
one  against  two,  and  we  can  both  handle  a  sword  !  " 

My  companion  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  What 
chance  should  we  have  in  Saintbreuil,  monsieur  ?  A 
word  to  a  king's  officer,  and  we  should  either  be  dead, 
or  in  prison." 

"  Faith,"  I  said  laughing,  though  not  with  much 
heartiness,  "  you  draw  a  lively  picture  !  Once  outside 
these  walls,  I  shall  not  care  to  venture  into  a  town  again 
until  we  reach  Tanlay." 

"  With  these  horses  there  should  be  no  need." 

The  officer  of  the  guard  gazed  at  us  suspiciously. 
"  You  travel  early,  monsieur !  "  he  remarked. 

"  Too  early  for  comfort !  "  I  replied,  "  but  I  must 

F.A.  2 


1 8  Tracked,  or  Not  ? 


reach   Nevers   before   Marshal   Tavannes   leaves.     He 
does  not  like  idle  excuses." 

"  You  are  right,  monsieur  !  "  replied  the  man,  with 
an  instant  change  of  expression,  "  one  does  not  play 
tricks  with  the  marshal.  But  I  did  not  know  he  was 
at  Nevers." 

"  'Tis  but  a  flying  visit,  I  believe." 
"  Well,  a  pleasant  journey  to  you.     Have  a  care, 
though,  if  you  ride  late  ;   the  country  is  infested  with 
brigands." 

Thanking  him  for  his  advice  I  followed  after  Jacques, 
who  had  taken  advantage  of  the  conversation  to  ride 
on. 

"  I  thought  the  officer  might  take  a  fancy  to  ask  me 
some  questions,  and  I  am  not  so  intimately  acquainted 
as  you  with  the  doings  of  the  king's  general !  "  he  said 
with  a  chuckle.  "  'Twas  a  bold  stroke,  monsieur,  but 
it  paid." 

"  Yes,"  I  said,  "  it  paid.  And  now  let  us  push  for- 
ward." 

Strangely  enough,  now  that  Jacques  had  recovered 
his  composure  I  began  to  feel  nervous,  and  more  than 
once  caught  myself  glancing  round  as  if  half  expecting 
to  see  a  body  of  pursuers  on  our  track.  However,  we 
proceeded  all  day  without  adventure,  slept  for  two  or 
three  hours  at  a  village  inn,  and  resumed  our  journey 
in  high  spirits. 

"  We  should  reach  the  Loire  by  midday,"  remarked 
Jacques.  "  Shall  we  go  into  the  town  and  cross  by 
the  bridge,  or  try  for  a  ford  ?  There  is  one  a  little  to 
the  north." 


Tracked,  or  Not  ?  19 


"  The  ford  will  suit  our  purpose,"  I  said,  "  and  I 
hardly  care  about  trusting  myself  in  the  town." 

There  still  wanted  two  hours  to  noon  when,  coming 
to  a  grassy  and  tree-shaded  plateau  through  which  ran 
a  sparkling  stream,  Jacques  proposed  that  we  should 
rest  the  horses.  So  we  dismounted,  gave  them  a  drink, 
fastened  them  to  a  tree,  and  lay  down  beside  them. 

"  Monsieur  might  be  able  to  sleep,"  suggested  Jacques. 
"  I  will  watch,  but  we  cannot  afford  more  than  an 
hour." 

"  We  will  take  turns,"  I  said. 

"  Not  at  all,  monsieur.  I  do  not  feel  sleepy.  I  will 
waken  you  in  good  time." 

Feeling  refreshed  by  the  short  rest  I  was  just  remount- 
ing when  a  rough,  sturdy-looking  fellow  came  along, 
riding  a  powerful  horse. 

"  Good-day,  messieurs,"  he  said,  glancing  at  us,  I 
thought,  very  keenly ;  "  am  I  on  the  right  track  for 
Nevers  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  I  answered  rather  curtly. 

"  Perhaps  monsieur  is  himself  going  there  ?  I  am 
a  stranger  in  these  parts." 

"  No,"  I  replied,  "  we  are  not  going  to  the  town,  but 
you  cannot  miss  the  way." 

He  hung  about  for  some  time,  trying  to  make  con- 
versation, but  presently  rode  on,  and  a  bend  in  the 
road  hid  him  from  our  view. 

"  An  ugly  customer  to  meet  on  a  dark  night,  Jacques," 
I  remarked. 

"  Let  us  push  on,  monsieur  ;  that  fellow  meant  us  no 
good.     Did  you  notice  his  speech  ?  " 


20  Tracked,  or  Not  ? 

"No." 

"  I  did  ;  he  comes  from  our  own  neighbourhood.  It 
is  possible  he  has  seen  us  before." 

"  And  what  of  that  ?  " 

"  Nothing,  except  that  it  is  curious,"  and  Jacques 
quickened  his  pace. 

At  the  end  of  a  quarter  of  a  mile  a  cross-road  to  the 
left  led  to  the  river,  and  along  this  track  we  travelled. 
It  was  very  narrow,  so  narrow,  indeed,  that  we  were 
forced  to  ride  in  single  file,  Jacques  going  before.  The 
stranger  had  disappeared  ;  no  one  was  in  sight ;  the 
countryside  seemed  deserted. 

"  Do  you  know  where  the  ford  is  situated  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  I  have  a  fairly  good  notion.  Ah,  what  is  that  ?  " 
and  he  reined  up  sharply. 

From  our  position  we  could  just  catch  a  glimpse  of 
several  horsemen  riding  swiftly  along  the  bank  of  the 
river.  They  were  out  of  sight  in  a  few  minutes,  and 
we  proceeded  in  a  somewhat  uncomfortable  frame  of 
mind. 

"  They  can  have  nothing  to  do  with  us,  Jacques,"  I 
said  cheerily. 

"  No,  monsieur,  nothing,"  he  replied. 

"  How  much  farther  do  we  go  before  descending  ? '' 

"  About  a  quarter  of  a  mile." 

"  Once  across  the  river  we  shall  be  in  no  danger  at 
all." 

"  None  at  all,  monsieur." 

"  A  plague  on  you,  Jacques  !  "  I  cried,  "  can't  you 
make  some  sensible  remark  ?  " 

"  I  was  but  agreeing  with  monsieur." 


Tracked,  or  Not  ?  21 

We  had  gone  about  four  hundred  yards  when  the 
track  began  to  descend  in  winding  fashion  toward  the 
water.  My  companion  was  still  in  front,  and  I  noticed 
he  had  loosened  his  sword.  I  had  done  the  same,  and 
in  addition  had  seen  that  my  pistols  were  in  order. 
Somehow,  a  strange  sense  of  approaching  peril,  for  which 
I  could  not  account,  hung  about  me. 

"  There  is  the  ford,"  said  Jacques,  drawing  rein, 
and  pointing  straight  ahead  of  him.  "  That  is  where 
we  must  cross." 

"  Yes,"  I  said. 

"  But  I  cannot  see  the  horsemen,  and  they  should 
be  visible  from  here.  It  is  very  absurd,  of  course,  but 
still,  I  would  advise  monsieur  to  look  to  his  pistols." 

"  I  am  ready,  Jacques." 

"  Come,  then,  and  if  I  say  *  Gallop ! '  stretch  your 
horse  to  his  utmost." 

He  advanced  carefully,  I  following,  and  watching 
him  intently.  Presently,  without  turning  round,  he 
said  :  "  It  is  as  I  thought ;  the  horsemen  are  there  > 
we  cannot  get  through  without  a  fight." 

"  Then  we  must  fight,  Jacques  ;  it  is  impossible  to 
turn  back.  They  will  not  expect  a  rush,  and  we  may 
catch  them  off  their  guard.  But  it  will  be  amusing  if 
they  turn  out  to  be  simply  peaceful  travellers." 

"  Amusing  and  satisfactory,  monsieur.  Are  you 
ready  ?  We  will  ride  abreast  at  the  bottom  ;  it  will 
give  us  greater  strength." 

Jacques  was  a  splendid  horseman,  and  he  had  taught 
me  to  ride  almost  from  the  first  day  I  could  sit  a  horse's 
back.     From  him,  too,  as  well  as  from  my  father,  I  had 


2  2  Tracked,  or  Not  ? 

learned  how  to  use  a  sword,  though  my  weapon  had 
never  yet  been  drawn  in  actual  conflict,  and  even  now  I 
hoped  against  hope  that  the  horsemen  below  were  not 
waiting  for  us. 

But  if  Jacques'  view  were  correct,  then  we  must 
fight.  Because  of  the  trust  reposed  in  me,  I  could  not 
yield ;  either  I  must  win  a  way  through,  or  leave  my 
dead  body  there  on  the  bank. 

My  companion's  voice  recalled  me  to  action.  "  Fire 
your  pistol  directly  we  come  within  range,"  he  said, 
"  and  then  lay  on  with  the  sword." 

"  But  we  must  give  them  warning,  Jacques  !  " 

"  It  is  needless  ;  they  have  seen  us,  and  are  preparing. 
Corbleu  !  it  is  as  I  thought  !  See,  there  is  the  man  who 
overtook  us  in  the  village.  Monsieur,  there  is  no  escape  ; 
it  is  a  fight  to  the  death  !  " 

"  I  am  ready  !  " 


CHAPTER   III 

The  Fight  by  the  Way 

They  watched  us  furtively,  as,  with  seeming  careless- 
ness, we  descended  the  slope,  slowly  at  first,  but  gradu- 
ally increasing  the  pace  as  the  ground  became  less 
steep.  There  were  five  of  them  in  all,  and  presently  I 
perceived  that  the  one  a  little  in  advance  of  the  group 
was  the  unknown  cavalier  whom  we  had  directed  to 
the  house  of  Etienne  Cordel. 

"  Draw  level,  monsieur.  Now !  "  and  the  next 
instant  we  were  dashing  down  the  remaining  part  of  the 
slope  at  terrific  speed. 

It  was  a  wild  ride,  a  ride  so  mad  that  many  a  night 
afterwards  I  started  from  sleep  with  the  sensation  of 
being  hurled  through  space.  The  horses  flew,  their  hoofs 
seeming  not  to  touch  the  ground ;  had  we  wished,  we 
should  have  found  it  impossible  to  check  their  headlong 
career.  Nearer  and  nearer  we  approached  ;  the  horse- 
men wavered  visibly,  their  leader  alone  remaining  un- 
moved. 

There  was  a  loud  report ;  a  ball  whizzed  past,  and 
we  heard  a  cry  of  "In  the  king's  name  !  " 

For  answer  we  discharged  our  pistols  almost  at  point- 
blank  distance,  and  a  horse  rolled  over  heavily  with  its 
rider, 

23 


24         The  Fight  by  the  Way 

"  One  down  !  "  cried  Jacques  in  triumph,  drawing  his 
sword  and  aiming  a  desperate  blow  at  the  leader,  who 
called  out — "  The  boy  !  Capture  the  boy  !  Shoot  his 
horse,  you  dolts  !  " 

He  thrust  at  me  vigorously,  but,  parrying  the  attack 
more  by  luck  than  good  management,  I  dashed  on, 
Jacques  crying,  "  This  way,  monsieur,  quick  !  " 

With  a  tremendous  leap  we  sprang  into  the  river, 
the  poor  animals  struggling  franticly  to  keep  their 
footing. 

"  This  way  !  "  shouted  Jacques,  "  we  are  too  far  to 
the  right ;  the  ford  lies  here.  Forward,  forward ! 
Use  your  spurs  ;  they  are  after  us.  To  the  front ;  I 
will  hold  them  at  bay !  " 

"  No,  no ;    we  will  stand  by  each  other." 

"  Nonsense  !  "  he  cried,  "  remember  the  packet !  " 
and,  having  no  answer  to  that,  I  pushed  forward, 
though  with  reluctance. 

It  was  a  wild  scramble,  now  swimming,  now  wading, 
stumbling,  and  floundering  along  with  the  yells  of  the 
pursuers  in  our  ears.  I  reached  the  opposite  bank,  and 
while  my  gallant  animal  clambered  up,  Jacques  turned 
to  face  the  enemy.  Almost  immediately  there  came  the 
clash  of  swords,  and,  looking  back,  I  saw  him  engaged  in 
desperate  conflict  with  the  foremost  of  the  pursuers. 

The  contest  was  short.  With  a  howl  of  pain  the 
fellow  dropped  his  sword,  and  the  water  reddened  with 
his  blood. 

"  Spread  out !  "  cried  the  cavalier  angrily,  "  'tis  the 
boy  we  want !  "  and  at  that,  Jacques  being  powerless 
to  prevent  them  from  slipping  past,  rode  after  me. 


-  The  Fight  by  the  Way       25 

"  Only  three  to  two  now !  "  he  exclaimed  joyfully ; 
"  shall  we  stop  ?     It  will  be  a  good  fight." 

"  No,  no,  we  may  get  away ;  we  are  the  better 
mounted." 

"  I  do  not  think  so,  monsieur ;  their  horses  are  the 
fresher." 

Once  again  Jacques  proved  correct.  The  three  men, 
the  cavalier  leading,  hung  stubbornly  on  our  track,  and 
began  steadily  to  ride  us  down. 

"  If  we  could  reach  a  village,"  I  gasped,  "  the  people 
might  be  for  us  !  " 

"  Or  against  us,  monsieur." 

On  we  went  across  the  open  stretch  of  upland, 
the  pace  becoming  perceptibly  slower,  the  pursuers 
approaching  steadily  nearer.  Below  us,  white  and  dusty 
in  the  sunlight,  wound  a  broad  road,  with  a  high  bank 
on  one  side  of  it. 

"  If  we  could  get  there,"  remarked  Jacques,  "  we 
could  fight  with  our  backs  to  the  wall,  and  the  odds  are 
not  so  heavy." 

"  Let  us  try." 

The  animals  responded  nobly  to  our  urging,  though 
their  nostrils  were  blood-red,  and  their  quivering  haunches 
flaked  with  spume.  Panting  and  straining,  they  raced 
along,  so  that  we  gained  the  road  a  considerable  distance 
ahead  of  our  pursuers  ;  but  the  pace  could  not  be 
maintained  and  Jacques  counselled  a  halt. 

"  The  horses  will  get  back  their  wind,"  he  said,  "  and 
we  shall  engage  at  an  advantage.  If  we  go  on,  the  crea- 
tures will  be  completely  blown.  Only  three  against  two, 
monsieur  ;  your  father  would  laugh  at  such  odds  !  " 


2  6       The  Fight  by  the  Way 

"  I  am  not  thinking  of  myself,  Jacques,  but  of  the 
Admiral.    The  papers  make  a  coward  of  me." 

"  This  is  the  best  chance  of  saving  them.  Let  us  wait 
here.  Fortunately  their  firearms  are  useless,  and  they 
must  trust  to  the  sword.  Just  fancy  you  are  engaged 
in  a  fencing  bout  in  the  courtyard,  Monsieur  Edmond, 
and  we  shall  beat  them  easily." 

We  drew  up  on  the  dusty  road,  with  our  backs  to  the 
high  bank,  and  waited — perhaps  for  death.  The  sob- 
bing animals,  trembling  in  every  limb,  were  grateful 
for  the  rest,  and  drew  in  deep  breaths.  The  sun  beat 
down  on  our  heads  ;  not  a  ripple  of  air  stirred  the  branches 
of  the  trees  ;  for  a  few  moments  not  a  sound  broke  the 
eerie  stillness. 

"  Here  they  come  !  " 

They  had  struck  the  highroad  some  distance  above  us, 
and  it  gave  me  heart  to  see  how  blown  their  animals 
were.  But  the  cavalier,  catching  sight  of  us,  spurred 
his  jaded  beast  and  advanced,  crying  out  loudly. 
"  Surrender,  Edmond  Le  Blanc  !  I  arrest  you  in  the 
king's  name  !  " 

"  What  charge  have   you   against   me  ?  "    I   asked. 

"  I  have  an  order  for  your  arrest.  Lay  down  your 
sword." 

"  Faith  !  "  broke  in  Jacques,  "  those  who  want  our 
swords  must  take  them.     We  are  free  men." 

"  Then  your  blood  be  on  your  own  heads  !  "  exclaimed 
the  cavalier.  "  Forward,  my  lads.  Capture  or  kill ; 
'tis  all  one." 

"  Keep  cool,  monsieur,"  advised  Jacques,  "  those 
two  cut-throats  are  no  sworders.    TJiey  are  far  handier 


The  Fight  by  the  Way        27 

with  a  knife  than  a  sword,  and  are  unused  to  fighting  in 
the  sunhght." 

"  A  truce  to  words  !  "  cried  their  leader ;  "  at  them, 
my  lads  !  "  and  he  himself  led  the  way. 

Jacques  met  him  boldly,  while  I  found  myself  furi- 
ously engaged  with  his  followers.  They  were  sturdy 
fellows,  both,  and  fearless  of  danger  ;  but  fortunately 
for  me  without  trick  of  fence,  and  almost  in  the  first 
blush  of  the  fight  I  had  pricked  one  in  the  side.  The 
misadventure  taught  them  caution,  and  they  renewed 
the  attack  more  warily. 

Jacques  was  on  my  left,  but  I  dared  not  look  to  see 
how  he  fared,  though  fearing  that  in  the  unknown  cava- 
lier he  had  met  his  equal,  if  not  his  master. 

Thrust  and  parry — thrust  and  parry  ;  now  a  lunge  in 
front,  now  a  half-turn  to  the  right,  till  my  arm  ached, 
and  my  eyes  became  dazzled  with  watching  the  move- 
ments of  the  flashing  steel.  A  laugh  of  triumph  from 
the  leader  of  our  foes  warned  me  that  some  misfortune 
had  happened  to  my  comrade,  but  whatever  the  mishap 
the  gallant  fellow  continued  to  keep  his  adversary  fully 
employed. 

"  Ride  him  down  !  "  cried  the  leader,  and  once  more 
the  two  ruffians  attacked  me  furiously.  One  of  them 
paid  ihe  penalty  of  his  recklessness.  With  a  rapid  lunge 
I  got  beneath  his  guard,  and  my  sword  passed  between 
his  ribs.  He  fell  forward  on  his  horse's  neck,  groaning, 
and  I  cried  exultingly,  "  Courage,  Jacques  !  Two  to 
two  !  " 

But  disaster  followed  swiftly  on  the  heels  of  my 
triumpl^.    A  half -suppressed  cry  of  pain  came  from  my 


2  8        The  Fight  by  the  Way 

comrade,  and  I  saw  his  horse  roll  over.  Warding  off  a 
blow  from  my  opponent,  I  turned  and  attacked  the 
cavalier  so  hotly  that  he  was  forced  back  several  paces, 
and  Jacques  disengaged  himself  from  the  fallen  animal. 

"  Look  to  yourself,  monsieur,"  he  said,  "  I  still  count." 

I  had  only  a  momentary  glimpse  of  him  as  he  stag- 
gered to  his  feet,  but  the  sight  was  not  encouraging. 
His  face  was  covered  with  blood,  his  left  arm  hung  limply 
at  his  side,  and  he  had  received  a  wound  in  the  shoulder. 
But  in  spite  of  his  injuries  he  faced  his  opponent  boldly, 
using  his  horse's  body  as  some  sort  of  protection. 

"  Yield  !  "  cried  the  cavalier,  "  and  I  will  spare  your 
lives.    You  are  brave  fellows." 

"  Fight  on,  monsieur,"  said  Jacques  stolidly. 

"  As  you  will,"  exclaimed  the  other,  and  once  more  the 
clash  of  steel  broke  on  the  air. 

How  would  it  end  ?  The  contest  was  going  steadily 
against  us.  I  could  easily  hold  my  opponent  in  check, 
but  Jacques  was  seriously  wounded ;  he  was  on  foot, 
and  must  inevitably  be  beaten.  I  thought  once  of 
riding  off  in  the  hope  of  drawing  the  others  after  me,  but 
they  might  stop  to  kiU  my  comrade,  and  that  I  dared 
not  risk. 

He  still  fought  with  his  accustomed  skill,  but  he  was 
becoming  weaker  every  minute;  he  could  no  longer  attack, 
and  had  much  ado  to  defend  himself.  Our  sole  chance 
lay  in  disabling  my  opponent  before  Jacques  was  over- 
powered. I  rode  at  him  recklessly,  but  he  was  a  wary 
knave,  and,  judging  how  matters  were  likely  to  go,  he 
remained  on  the  defensive. 

We  were  still  battling  vigorously,  though  I  was  fast 


The  Fight  by  the  Way        29 

losing  all  hope,  when  the  tramp  of  hoofs  sounded  in  the 
distance.  Who  were  the  travellers  ?  They  could  not 
make  our  situation  worse  ;  they  might  improve  it. 
Our  assailants  seemed  to  be  of  the  same  opinion,  and, 
leaving  Jacques,  they  flung  themselves  at  me. 

Could  I  hold  out  a  few  minutes  longer  ?  I  set  my  teeth 
hard,  and  braced  myself  for  the  effort.  Twice  the  un- 
known cavalier  missed  my  breast  by  a  hair's  breadth, 
but  I  was  still  unwounded,  save  for  a  slight  scratch,  when 
a  body  of  mounted  men  turned  the  bend  in  the  road. 
They  appeared  to  be  a  nobleman's  bodyguard,  and  wore 
blue  favours,  but  this  told  me  nothing. 

Jacques,  however,  was  better  informed.  "  Lord  St. 
Cyr  !  "  he  cried  feebly.  "  For  the  Admiral !  "  and  sank 
to  the  ground. 

Echoing  my  comrade's  words,  I  cried  lustily,  "  For 
the  Admiral !  "  at  which  the  gentlemen  set  spurs  to  their 
horses,  while  our  assailants  as  hastily  rode  off. 

Before  the  troop  came  up,  I  dismounted,  and  bending 
over  my  comrade  whispered,  "  Who  is  this  St.  Cyr  ?  " 

"  A  friend,"  he  replied  ;  "  the  papers  are  safe  now  ;  you 
can  trust  him." 

A  noble-looking  gentleman  rode  in  front  of  the  troop. 
He  was  well  advanced  in  years — at  least  fourscore,  as  I 
afterwards  learned — but  he  sat  erect  in  his  saddle,  and 
his  eyes  were  keen  and  vigorous. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  this,  monsieur  ?  "  he  asked 
sternly,  as  I  went  toward  him. 

"  Am  I  speaking  to  the  Lord  St.  Cyr  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  I  am  the  Count  of  St.  Cyr." 

*'  Then,  my  lord,  I  can  speak  freely.    My  name  is 


30         The  Fight  by  the  Way 

Edmond  Le  Blanc ;  my  father  is  the  Sieur  Le  Blanc — — " 

"  Sufficient  recommendation,"  he  interrupted,  with 
a  genial  smile. 

"  My  servant  and  I  were  on  our  way  to  Tanlay,  carry- 
ing important  despatches  to  the  Admiral.  At  the  ford 
we  were  attacked  by  five  ruffians.  Two  were  wounded  ; 
the  others  followed  us  here." 

"  What  was  their  object  ?  " 

"  I  fear,  my  lord,  they  must  have  learned  the  nature 
of  my  mission." 

"  And  wished  to  obtain  possession  of  the  papers  ! 
Are  they  really  of  great  importance  ?  " 

"  The  original  bearer,  my  lord,  was  waylaid  and 
grievously  wounded  near  my  home.  He  assured  me 
solemnly  that  their  loss  would  probably  plunge  thou- 
sands of  Frenchmen  into  mourning.  He  hinted  at  some 
special  peril  to  the  Admiral." 

"  You  have  made  a  gallant  fight,"  said  the  count, 
"  and  Providence  has  plainly  sent  us  to  your  aid.  Your 
servant  is  wounded  I  see.  Leave  him  to  my  care 
and  meanwhile  I  will  provide  you  with  suitable  escort. 
The  ruffians  will  think  twice  before  venturing  to  attack 
my  gentlemen." 

"  One  of  our  assailants  is  hurt,  my  lord." 

"  We  will  attend  to  him  also  ;  he  cannot  be  left  to 
die." 

During  this  conversation,  a  man  soberly  clad  and 
evidently  a  minister  of  the  Religion — he  was,  in  truth, 
though  wearing  a  sword,  the  count's  private  chaplain 
— had  been  attending  to  Jacques.  Now  he  stepped 
forward,  and  said,  "  The  man  is  weak  froni  loss  of  blood. 


The  Fight  by  the  Way        3  i 

but  his  wounds  are  not  serious  ;  he  should  speedily 
recover  his  strength." 

"  That  is  good  hearing  for  Monsieur  Le  Blanc,"  said 
the  count.  "  Pray  tell  your  servant  that  he  has  fallen 
into  friendly  hands." 

I  ran  joyfully  to  Jacques,  who  looked  at  me  with  a 
smile.  "  It  is  all  right  now,  monsieur,"  said  he  ;  "  the 
journey  is  as  good  as  done." 

"  Still,  I  wish  we  could  finish  it  together,  but  that  is 
impossible.  I  must  leave  you  with  Lord  St.  Cyr,  and 
push  on.     He  has  promised  to  furnish  me  with  an  escort." 

"  Do  not  delay,  monsieur  ;  time  is  precious." 

I  gave  him  a  portion  of  my  money,  bade  him  be  of 
good  cheer,  and  returned  to  the  count,  who  had  already 
selected  six  of  his  gentlemen  to  accompany  me. 

"  Keep  free  from  brawls,"  he  advised  their  leader, 
"  and  ride  with  all  speed.  Remember  that  you  are 
engaged  on  a  matter  that  may  involve  the  life  of  our 
chief." 

"  We  will  waste  no  time  on  the  road,  my  lord." 

Amidst  a  cheer  from  the  rest  of  the  bodyguard  we 
rode  forward,  and  were  soon  out  of  sight.  My  new  com- 
rades were  kindly,  gallant  gentlemen,  in  whose  company 
I  soon  recovered  my  spirits.  Jacques  was  in  no  danger, 
while  it  was  certain  that  I  should  now  be  able  to  place 
the  paper  in  the  Admiral's  hands. 

Indeed,  the  remainder  of  the  journey  can  be  passed  over 
almost  without  comment.  We  travelled  fast,  making 
few  halts,  and  on  the  evening  of  the  next  day  rode  into 
Tanlay. 

The  Admiral,  who  had  just  finished  prayers,  granted 


32         The  Fight  by  the  Way 

me  immediate  audience,  and  my  heart  throbbed  with 
excitement  as  I  entered  his  room.  I  was  about  to  see, 
for  the  first  time,  this  splendid  gentleman,  who  was  to 
many  thousands  of  Frenchmen  the  pride  and  glory  of 
France. 

He  was  of  medium  height,  strongly  made,  well  pro- 
portioned, and  of  a  ruddy  complexion.  His  eyes  had  a 
grave  but  kindly  expression  ;  his  countenance  was  severe 
and  majestic.  "  Here,"  was  my  first  thought,  "  is  a 
true  leader  of  men  !  "  He  spoke  slowly,  but  his  voice 
was  soft,  pleasant,  and  musical. 

"  Well,  my  young  friend,"  he  said,  "  you  have  some- 
thing of  importance  to  communicate  to  me  ?  " 

I  had  ripped  the  lining  of  my  doublet,  and  now 
handed  him  the  packet.  "  My  story  can  wait,  my  lord," 
I  said,  "  this  is  the  more  pressing  matter." 

He  broke  the  seal  and  read  the  letter,  slowly,  as  if 
committing  each  word  to  heart.  Then  he  said  in  his 
grave  manner,  "  This  is  from  La  Rochelle,  and  should 
have  reached  me  by  the  hand  of  Ambroise  Devine. 
Where  is  he  ?  " 

"  There  are  those  who  desired  that  you  should  not 
receive  this  communication,  my  lord,  and  the  original 
messenger  lies  in  my  father's  house,  grievously  wounded. 
As  there  was  none  other  to  bring  it,  the  packet  was  even 
entrusted  to  my  keeping." 

"  You  are  of  the  Religion  ?  " 

"  The  son  of  the  Sieur  Le  Blanc  could  not  well  be 
otherwise,  my  lord." 

"  The  Sieur  Le  Blanc  has  proved  his  devotion  on  more 
than  one  battlefield.    So  you  are  his  son  !    And  you 


The  Fight  by  the  Way        33 

have  risked  your  life  to  help  me  !  I  am  grateful,  my 
young  friend,  and  others  will  be  grateful  also  ;  but  I  will 
speak  with  you  again.  For  the  present  I  must  place 
you  under  the  care  of  my  gentlemen.  There  is  much 
here,"  touching  the  packet,  "  to  be  considered,  and  that 
without  delay.  But  you  have  deserved  well  of  the 
Cause,  boy,  and  the  Sieur  Le  Blanc  can  be  justly  proud 
of  his  son." 

I  was  thoroughly  tired  by  my  long,  hazardous  jour- 
ney, but  I  lay  awake  for  hours  that  night,  my  cheeks 
burning  at  the  remembrance  of  the  Admiral's  words. 
He  had  praised  me — Edmond  Le  Blanc — this  hero  whom 
I  regarded  as  the  highest,  the  bravest,  the  noblest  gentle- 
man in  the  whole  world  !  It  seemed  incredible  that  I 
should  have  obtained  such  honour  ! 


F^. 


CHAPTER   IV 

How  We  Kept  the  Ford 

Early  next  morning  I  was  summoned  to  attend  the 
Admiral,  who  received  me  very  graciously. 

"  I  trust  you  have  rested  well/'  he  said,  "  as  I  am 
about  to  send  you  on  another  journey.  There  is,  how- 
ever, no  danger  in  it,"  he  added,  smiling.  "  I  wish 
you  to  go  to  the  Prince  of  Conde  at  Noyers,  to  tell  him 
your  story,  and  to  answer  any  questions  he  may  put 
to  you.  I  am  setting  out  myself  in  an  hour  or  two,  but 
my  preparations  are  not  complete.  Monsieur  Bellievre 
will  accompany  you  as  guide  ;  he  has  received  my 
instructions." 

.  The  Admiral  could  not  have  chosen  for  me  a  more 
suitable  comrade  than  Felix  Bellievre.  He  was  quite 
young,  barely  more  than  eighteen,  tall,  slim,  and  good- 
looking.  He  had  large,  expressive,  dark  eyes,  thick, 
curling  hair,  and  beautiful  white  teeth.  His  smile  was 
sweet  and  winning,  and  he  had  an  air  of  candour  very 
engaging.  Indeed,  he  so  won  upon  me,  that,  after  the 
first  mile  or  two  of  our  journey,  we  were  chatting  like 
old  friends. 

"  You  must  be  a  person  of  importance,"  he  declared 
merrily.  "  Your  coming  has  created  a  tremendous 
commotion  at  Tanlay.  Is  it  true  that  the  Guises  are 
bent  on  a  fresh  war  ?  " 

84 


How  We  Kept  the  Ford       35 

'*  I  cannot  tell ;  I  am  nothing  more  than  a  messenger." 

"  'Twas  said  last  night  you  were  the  bearer  of  start- 
ling news.  There  was  whisper  of  a  plot  to  swoop  down 
upon  the  Admiral  and  on  Conde,  and  to  whisk  them  off 
to  Paris.  Faith,  if  the  Guises  once  got  them  there  we 
should  see  little  of  them  again." 

"  Why  has  the  Admiral  no  soldiers  ?  " 

"  Because  he  is  too  honourable  to  distrust  others.  He 
believes  they  will  keep  their  word.  As  for  me,  I  would 
as  soon  trust  a  starving  wolf  as  a  Guise,  or  the  Queen- 
Mother.  The  Admiral  is  foolish,  but  he  is  too  good- 
hearted  to  think  about  himself." 

Praise  of  the  Admiral  entered  largely  into  Bellievre's 
conversation,  as  indeed  it  did  into  that  of  all  his  retinue. 
No  one  was  so  wise  or  strong,  so  full  of  courage  and 
good  sense,  so  patient  and  forbearing,  so  grand  and 
noble  as  Gaspard  de  Coligny.  It  was  hero  worship, 
perhaps,  but  hero  worship  of  the  truest  kind.  Not 
one  of  his  household  but  would  have  died  for  him. 

"  Do  you  know,"  I  said  presently,  "  that  the  Admiral 
is  coming  to  Noyers  ?  " 

"  And  his  gentlemen  !  It  looks  as  if  rumour  for 
once  spoke  true." 

"  But  we  cannot  defend  ourselves  at  Noyers  against 
an  army  !  " 

"  No,  that  is  impossible.  Besides,  our  leaders  must 
be  free,  or  there  will  be  no  one  to  command  the  troops. 
Fancy  an  army  without  Cond6  or  the  Admiral  at  its 
head  !  "  and  he  laughed  merrily. 

"  Then  what  is  likely  to  be  done  ?  " 

"j^Faith,  I  have  no  notion ! "  he  answered  lightly. 


36      How  We  Kept  the  Ford 

"  We  march  and  countermarch  and  fight,  just  as  we 
are  bidden ;  it  is  all  one  to  those  of  Coligny's  house- 
hold.   We  never  ask  questions." 

It  was  a  glorious  day,  with  a  fresh  breeze  tempering 
the  heat  of  the  sun,  and  we  rode  along  gaily.  My  com- 
rade had  already  learned  habits  of  caution,  but  there 
was  really  no  danger,  and  late  in  the  afternoon  we 
reached  Noyers,  where,  after  a  short  delay,  I  was  ad- 
mitted into  Conde's  presence. 

He  had  received  a  message  from  Tanlay  some  hours 
previously,  and  he  said  at  once  :  "  You  are  Edmond 
Le  Blanc,  who  brought  the  packet  from  La  Rochelle." 

"  From  the  Castle  of  Le  Blanc,  my  lord,  where  it 
was  given  me  by  Ambroise  Devine." 

"  Ah,  yes,  he  was  attacked  and  wounded.  What 
did  he  tell  you  ?  " 

"  That  troops  were  being  collected  secretly  to  sur- 
round Tanlay  and  Noyers,  that  the  banks  of  the  Loire 
were  guarded  " — the  Prince  gave  a  start  of  surprise — 
"  and  that  unless  you  moved  quickly,  your  escape 
would  be  cut  off." 

"  And  you  rode  from  Le  Blanc  to  Tanlay  ?  Did 
you  hear  an5d;hing  of  this  on  the  journey  ?  " 

"  No,  my  lord,  but  there  seemed  to  be  a  general  feel- 
ing of  uneasiness  abroad,  as  if  people  thought  something 
strange  was  about  to  happen." 

"  Did  you  notice  any  movement  of  troops  ?  " 

"  No,  my  lord." 

"  Where  did  you  cross  the  Loire  ?  " 

"  At  the  ford  a  little  to  the  north  of  Nevers." 

"  And  it  was   unguarded  ?    But   there,  it  matters 


How  We  Kept  the  Ford       37 

little  ;   it  will  be  guarded  by  now.     How  do  the  folks 
in  your  own  neighbourhood  talk  ?  " 

"  That  the  present  state  of  things  cannot  continue, 
and  that  one  side  or  the  other  must  begin  a  fresh  war." 
"  Humph,"  he  said,  half  to  himself,  "  if  we  unsheath 
the  sword  again,  we  will  not  lay  it  down  until  the  work 
is  finished.  Monsieur,  you  need  rest  and  refreshment ; 
my  gentlemen  will  attend  to  you.  The  Admiral  will 
be  here  by  nightfall.  We  have  to  thank  you  for  your 
services.     It  was  a  very  gallant  enterprise." 

Bellievre,  who  was  no  stranger  at  Noyers,  introduced 
me  to  several  of  his  acquaintances,  and  we  spent  a 
merry  evening  together.  The  rumour  of  some  impend- 
ing calamity  had  spread  rapidly,  and  all  sorts  of  opinions 
were  expressed  by  Conde's  cavaliers. 

"  I  hope,"  said  one,  "  if  war  does  break  out  that  the 
Prince  will  not  make  peace  until  the  Guises  and  the 
Queen-Mother  are  swept  out  of  the  country.  The  king 
is  but  a  cat's-paw." 

"  True,"  cried  another.  "  His  mother  rules  him 
completely." 

"  And  the  Guises  rule  her  !  " 

"  Not  at  all,"  said  the  first  man,  "  she  is  ruled  by  her 
own  fears.  Catherine  wants  all  the  power  in  her  own 
hands,  and  she  is  afraid  of  the  Prince's  influence.  That 
is  the  root  of  the  evil." 

"  She  has  too  many  Spaniards  and  Italians  around 
her,"  said  Bellievre  ;  "  France  is  drained  dry  by  for- 
eigners.    A  plague  on  the  leeches  !  " 

"  Bravo,  Felix,  that  is  well  said  ;  but  if  this  rumour 
is  really  true,  it  is  time  we  were  doing  something.    A 


3  8      How  We  Kept  the  Ford 

hundred  sworders  would  make  little  impression  on  an 
anny." 

"  Trust  our  chiefs  !  The  Admiral  will  be  here  in  an 
hour  or  two.  I  shall  be  surprised  if  we  are  not  out  of 
Noyers  by  this  time  to-morrow." 

Bellievre  and  I  were  in  bed  when  the  Admiral  arrived, 
but  the  next  morning  we  discovered  that  preparations 
were  being  made  for  almost  instant  departure.  We 
numbered  about  a  hundred  and  fifty  horsemen,  and 
by  ourselves  could  have  made  a  spirited  fight ;  but 
we  were  hampered  by  the  presence  of  our  leaders'  wives 
and  children,  and  more  than  one  man  shook  his  head 
doubtfully  at  the  thought  of  meeting  the  king's  troops. 

I  asked  my  comrade  where  we  were  going,  and  he 
replied  that  there  were  as  many  different  opinions  as 
horsemen.  "  But  for  my  part,"  said  he,  "I  believe 
our  destination  is  La  Rochelle.  That  has  always  been 
the  raUying-place." 

"  'Tis  a  long  journey,  and  with  the  women  and  chil- 
dren a  dangerous  one  !  "  I  remarked.  "  We  can  be 
ambushed  at  a  thousand  places  on  the  road." 

"  Then,"  said  he  gaily,  "  there  are  a  thousand  chances 
of  a  fight.  My  dear  Edmond — we  seem  such  good 
friends  that  I  cannot  call  you  Le  Blanc — do  not  look 
so  gloomy.  To  us  of  the  Admiral's  house  a  brush  with 
the  enemy  is  as  natural  as  breaking  one's  fast.  They 
know  the  Coligny  battle-cry  by  now,  I  assure  you." 

"  I  am  not  thinking  of  ourselves,  but  of  the  women 
and  children." 

"  Ah,"  said  he  brightly,  "  that  gives  us  a  chance  of 
gaining  greater  glory." 


How  We  Kept  the  Ford       3  9 

The  sun  was  always  shining  and  the  sky  always  blue 
for  Felix  Bellievre,  and  if  there  were  any  clouds,  he 
failed  to  see  them.  He  and  I  rode  in  the  rear  of  the 
cavalcade,  with  the  Sieur  Andelot,  Coligny's  brother, 
and  a  number  of  cavaliers  belonging  to  his  household. 
The  weather,  fortunately,  was  dry,  but  the  sun  beat 
down  fiercely,  and  at  times  we  were  half-choked  by  the 
dust  that  rose  from  beneath  our  feet. 

As  FeUx  had  foretold,  we  struck  westward,  travelling 
at  a  steady  pace,  and  seeing  no  sign  of  the  king's  troops 
till  shortly  before  reaching  the  Loire,  near  Sancerre. 
Then  the  few  cavaliers  forming  the  extreme  rear  came 
riding  hurriedly  with  the  information  that  a  large  body 
of  the  enemy  was  pushing  on  at  a  tremendous  pace  with 
the  object  of  overtaking  us. 

"  The  rear  is  the  post  of  honour,  gentlemen,"  said 
Andelot,  with  his  pleasant  smile — he  was,  I  think,  even 
more  kindly  than  his  famous  brother — "  but  it  is  also 
the  post  of  danger.  We  must  keep  these  troops  at 
bay  until  our  comrades  succeed  in  discovering  a  ford," 
and  we  greeted  his  words  with  a  loyal  cheer. 

The  situation  was  in  truth  an  awkward  one.  Unless 
our  scouts  could  find  some  way  of  crossing  the  river 
we  must  either  surrender  or  suffer  annihilation,  and 
the  word  had  gone  forth  that  there  must  be  no  yielding. 

"  Faith,  Edmond,"  exclaimed  Felix  merrily,  "  it 
seems  you  are  to  have  a  good  baptism.  One  could  not 
wish  a  better  introduction  to  knightly  feats.  Ah,  here 
comes  one  of  Conde's  men  with  news." 

A  cavalier  galloping  back  from  the  advance-guard 
informed  Andelot  that  the  ford  was  passable,  and  that 


40       How  We  Kept  the  Ford 

the  Prince  expected  us  to  keep  off  the  foe  until  the 
ladies,  with  a  small  escort,  had  crossed  to  the  opposite 
side. 

"  The  Prince  can  trust  in  our  devotion,"  replied 
Andelot  briefly. 

We  proceeded  steadily  and  in  perfect  order,  Andelot 
last  of  all,  when  presently  we  heard  the  thunder  of 
hoofs  and  a  loud  shout  of  "  For  the  King  !  "  as  the  fore- 
most of  the  enemy  tore  pell-mell  toward  us.  We 
quickened  our  pace  in  seeming  alarm,  and  the  royalists 
rushed  on  cheering  as  if  their  prey  were  aheady  secured. 

Suddenly  Andelot  gave  the  signal ;  we  wheeled  as  one 
man,  and  with  a  yell  of  defiance  dashed  at  them.  The 
surprise  was  complete.  Confident  in  their  numbers 
they  were  riding  anyhow,  and  before  they  could  form 
we  were  upon  them.  Down  they  went,  horses  and 
riders,  while  the  air  was  rent  by  shouts  of  "  Conde  !  " 
"  For  the  Cause  !  "  "  For  the  Admiral !  "  "  Guise  ! 
Guise  !  "  In  three  minutes  after  the  shock  they  were 
flying  in  wild  confusion  back  to  their  infantry. 

"  Bravo,  gentlemen  !  "  cried  our  leader,  as  we  checked 
the  pursuit  and  reformed  our  ranks,  "  that  is  worth  half 
an  hour  to  our  friends  !  " 

"  A  smart  affair  that,"  remarked  Bellidvre,  "  but 
soon  over.  If  Guise  is  with  the  troops  we  shan't  come 
off  so  well  next  time  ;  he  is  a  fine  soldier.  But  the 
women  and  children  must  have  crossed  the  ford  by 
now." 

We  proceeded  steadily  till  the  road  turned,  and  here 
Andelot  halted,  evidently  expecting  another  attack. 
Nor  had  we  long  to  wait.     M^ith  a  sweeping  rush  the 


How  We  Kept  the  Ford      41 

enemy  returned,  headed  by  a  richly-dressed  cavaher  on 
a  superb  horse,  and  shouting  :    "  Guise  !  Guise  !  " 

They  outnumbered  us  by  four  to  one,  but  we  were 
well  placed,  and  not  a  man  budged. 

"  Let  them  spend  their  strength,"  said  our  leader, 
"  and  when  they  waver,  charge  home  !  " 

The  onset  was  terrific,  but  not  a  horseman  broke 
through  our  ranks ;  they  crowded  upon  one  another  in 
the  narrow  pass  ;  they  had  no  room  for  the  play  of  their 
weapons,  and  while  those  in  the  rear  were  striving  to 
push  forward,  the  foremost  were  thrust  back  upon  them 
in  a  confused  heap. 

Then,  above  the  din,  was  heard  Andelot's  voice,  cry- 
ing :  "  Charge,  gentlemen  !  "  and  with  the  force  of  a 
hurricane  rush  we  swept  them  before  us  like  leaves 
scattered  by  an  autumn  gale.  And  as  we  returned, 
flushed  but  triumphant,  a  second  messenger  met  us. 

"  They  are  across,  my  lord,"  he  cried,  "  all  but  our- 
selves ;  and  the  Prince  is  preparing  to  defend  the  ford 
on  the  farther  side  of  the  river.  He  begs  that  you  will 
come  immediately ;    the  waters  are  rising." 

"  Forward  !  Forward  !  "  Laughing  and  cheering, 
we  raced  along,  a  few  wounded,  but  none  seriously, 
and  most  of  us  unharmed.  Our  comrades  were  mar- 
shalled on  the  opposite  bank,  and  they  cried  to  us  to 
hasten.  From  what  cause — unless  by  a  direct  inter- 
vention of  Providence — I  know  not,  but  the  river  was 
rising  rapidly,  and  the  last  of  our  troop  were  compelled 
to  swim  several  yards. 

But  we  reached  the  bank  without  mishap,  and  turn- 
ing round  perceived  our  stubborn  pursuers  advancing 


42       How  We  Kept  the  Ford 

at  full  speed.  The  foremost  horsemen  reaching  the 
river  drew  rein ;  the  ford  was  no  longer  visible,  and 
they  had  no  means  of  passage.  They  wandered  along 
the  bank  disconsolately,  while  we,  sending  them  one 
last  cheer,  rode  after  our  van. 

"  A  point  in  the  game  to  us,  Edmond,"  said  my  com- 
rade, "  and  oddly  gained  too.  The  Admiral's  chaplain 
will  make  use  of  that  in  his  next  discourse.  He  will 
say  that  Providence  is  fighting  on  our  side." 

"  'Tis  at  least  a  good  omen  !  Had  the  enemy  crossed, 
we  must  have  been  defeated." 

"  Perhaps  so ;    perhaps  not.     I'll  wager    Guise  is 
storming  over  yonder,  at  the  escape  of  his  prey." 
"  But  why  wasn't  the  ford  guarded  ?  "  I  asked. 
"  An  oversight,  most  likely,  and  a  fortunate  one  for 
us.     However,  we  are  out  of  the  trap." 
"  There  is  still  a  long  distance  to  go," 
"  Yes,  but  every  day's  journey  improves  our  position. 
Cond6  feels  secure  now ;  he  dreaded  only  the  passage 
of  the  Loire.     Guise  made  a  huge  blunder  which,  in 
the  future,  will  cost  him  dear." 

Encouraged  by  our  escape,  and  more  so  by  the  strange 
manner  of  it,  we  rode  on  with  light  hearts,  chatting 
gaily  about  our  past  adventures,  and  looking  forward 
with  confidence  to  our  safe  arrival  at  Rochelle. 

"  I  suppose  you  will  throw  in  your  lot  with  us,"  said 
Bellidvre,  as  we  lay  sheltering  one  noon  from  the  sun's 
heat ;  "  it  is  a  great  honour  to  belong  to  the  Admiral's 
household." 

"  I  should  like  it  of  all  things,  but  there  are  two 
objections  to  the  plan.    In  the  first  place  the  Admiral 


How  We  Kept  the  Ford      43 

has  not  offered  me  the  privilege,  and  in  the  second  I 
must  return  home.  My  parents  will  be  alarmed  at  such 
a  long  absence." 

"  Yes,"  he  said  slowly,  "  you  must  visit  your  father 
and  mother.  As  for  the  first  objection,"  he  added 
mysteriously,  "  it  can  be  remedied  easily." 

I  did  not  understand  his  meaning,  but  the  very 
next  day,  as  we  were  proceeding  on  our  journey,  the 
Admiral  came  to  my  side. 

"  BelliSvre  tells  me,"  he  said,  "  that  you  wish  to  join 
my  household  !  " 

"  My  lord,"  I  replied,  flushing  crimson — for  this 
speech  was  very  startling  and  unexpected — "  I  can 
hardly  credit  that  such  honour  is  within  my  reach." 

"  There  is  no  honour  to  which  the  son  of  the  Sieur 
Le  Blanc  cannot  aspire,"  he  said,  "  and  you  have 
already  proved  yourself  a  brave  lad.  But  first  you 
must  lay  the  proposal  before  your  father ;  if  he  con- 
sents, you  will  find  me  at  my  house  in  Rochelle.  We 
pass,  I  believe,  within  a  day  or  two's  march  of  Le  Blanc. 
Is  your  purse  empty  ?  " 

"  No,  my  lord,  I  thank  you ;  I  have  sufficient  for 
my  needs." 

"  Very  well ;  you  know  where  to  find  me,  but  I 
warrant  Belli^vre  will  be  looking  out  for  you  !  " 

"  I  shall  watch  for  him  eagerly,  my  lord,"  inter- 
posed Felix ;  "  he  is  too  good  a  comrade  to  be 
lost." 

"  I  owe  this  to  your  kindness,  Felix,"  I  remarked 
when  the  Admiral  had  ridden  off. 

"  Not  kindness,  my  friend,  but  selfishness.    I  was 


44       How  We  Kept  the  Ford 

thinking  not  so  much  of  you,  as  of  Fehx  Bellievre.  I 
foresee  many  happy  days  in  store  for  us,  Edmond." 
"  Like  the  one  at  Sancerre,  for  instance  !  " 
"  Ah,"  he  repHed  brightly,  "  that  is  a  day  to  be 
marked  in  red.  But  there  will  be  others  ;  and,  Edmond, 
do  not  waste  too  much  time  between  Le  Blanc  and  La 
Rochelle." 

"  Unless  I  am  laid  by  the  heels,"  I  answered  laugh- 
ing, "  I  shall  be  at  Rochelle  shortly  after  you !  " 


CHAPTER   V 

A    Traitor    to  the    King 

It  was  on  the  evening  of  the  first  day  in  August,  1568, 
that  I  rode  into  the  village  of  Le  Blanc.  All  day  long 
a  pitiless  sun  had  been  beating  down  on  the  arid  earth, 
with  not  one  freshening  breeze  to  temper  the  intense 
heat,  and  even  now  not  a  breath  of  air  stirred  so  much 
as  a  solitary  leaf  on  the  trees. 

My  poor  beast  dragged  wearily  along,  and  his  fatigue 
was  scarcely  greater  than  my  own. 

"  Good  old  fellow  !  "  I  said,  stroking  his  neck  affec- 
tionately, "  a  few  hundred  yards  more  and  we  shall  be 
at  home.  Food  and  water,  clean  straw,  and  a  shady 
place  for  you.  Ha,  ha,  old  fellow,  that  makes  you 
prick  up  your  ears  !  " 

We  trailed  along  the  sun-baked  street ;  the  door  of 
every  house  was  wide  open  ;  the  villagers,  men,  women, 
and  children  sprawled  listlessly  in  the  coolest  places, 
hardly  raising  their  eyes  at  the  beat  of  my  horse's  hoofs. 

But  those  who  did  glance  up  gazed  at  me  curiously, 

and  once  or  twice  I  heard  a  muttered, "  'Tis  Monsieur 

Edmond  !  "  as  if  I  were  the  last  person  they  expected 

to  see  in  my  own  home.    Their  strange  glances,  half 

surprise,  half  pity,  made   me  uncomfortable,  and  set 

me  wondering  whether  any  accident  had   happened. 

45 


46         A  Traitor  to  the  King 

However,  I  proceeded  slowly  as  far  as  the  inn,  out- 
side which  half  a  dozen  men  had  congregated,  while 
old  Pierre  himself  stood  in  the  doorway.  They  greeted 
me  in  wonder,  and  again  I  heard  some  one  say,  "  'Tis 
Monsieur  Edmond  !  " 

"  Well,  my  friends,"  I  exclaimed,  with  perhaps  a 
suggestion  of  annoyance  in  my  voice,  "  is  there  any 
reason  why  it  should  not  be  Monsieur  Edmond  ?  Did 
you  think  me  dead,  or  has  the  heat  affected  your  brains  ? 
Speak  up,  some  of  you  !  " 

"  Is  monsieur  going  to  the  castle  ?  "  asked  Pierre. 

"  Of  course  I  am  !  "  I  answered  half  angrily. 

"  Perhaps  monsieur  will  dismount  and  enter  the 
inn.  Things  have  happened  since  monsieur  went 
away." 

A  great  fear  seized  me,  but,  keeping  my  features 
under  control,  I  slipped  from  the  saddle,  and,  bidding 
the  ostler  take  charge  of  the  animal,  followed  Pierre 
into  the  one  private  room  the  inn  contained. 

"  Now,  Pierre,"  I  exclaimed,  "  tell  me  the  story 
quickly,  in  as  few  words  as  possible." 

"  First  then,  monsieur,"  began  the  old  man  in  his 
quavering  voice,  "  it  is  useless  going  to  the  castle,  as 
it  is  shut  up." 

"  The  castle  shut  up  !  "  I  cried  in  astonishment. 
"  Well,  go  on  with  the  story ;  it  promises  plenty  of 
interest." 

"  Shortly  after  your  departure,  monsieur,  many 
rumours  spread  abroad.  Some  said  one  thing,  some 
another ;  but  no  one  knew  the  truth.  Then,  one 
night,  your  father  sent  for  me  to  the  castle.    He  ordered 


A  Traitor  to  the  King        47 

me  to  watch  for  your  return,  and  to  tell  you  he  had 
gone  to  Rochelle.  Not  another  word,  monsieur,  except 
that  you  were  to  join  him,  and  to  keep  out  of  the  way 
of  the  king's  troops." 

"  This  is  strange  news  !  "  I  said. 

"  Your  father  must  have  gone  away  that  night, 
monsieur,  for  next  day  the  castle  was  deserted.  And 
it  was  well  he  did  not  stay  longer,"  the  old  man  con- 
cluded, with  a  wise  shake  of  the  head. 

"  Why  ?  "  I  asked  anxiously. 

"  The  next  night,  monsieur,  we  were  roused  from 
sleep  by  the  tramping  of  soldiers.  I  ran  to  the  window 
and  looked  out.  There  were  more  than  two  hundred 
of  them  marching  through  the  village.  On  arriving 
at  the  castle,  they  found  they  were  too  late.  Their 
leader  was  very  angry ;    he  raved  like  a  madman." 

"  Did  you  go  to  listen  to  him  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur,  he  slept  here  at  the  inn.  The  next 
day  he  had  all  the  villagers  drawn  up  outside,  and 
made  them  a  grand  speech.  Had  it  not  been  for  his 
soldiers,  I  think  he  would  not  have  left  the  village 
alive." 

"  Then  he  made  the  good  folk  angry  ?  " 

"  Monsieur,  it  was  terrible.  He  said  the  Sieur  Le 
Blanc  was  a  traitor  to  the  king,  that  he  had  harboured 
one  of  the  king's  enemies,  and  that  his  hfe  was  forfeit  to 
the  law.  Any  man  was  to  shoot  him  like  a  dog.  He 
said  all  this,  monsieur,  and  more,  much  more.  Then 
he  called  in  the  leading  men  one  by  one,  and  questioned 
them  closely,  but  they  knew  nothing." 

*'  He  should  have  asked  you,  Pierre." 


48         A  Traitor  to  the  King 

"  He  did,  monsieur,  but  he  said  I  was  a  stupid  dolt, 
with  no  more  sense  than  one  of  my  own  casks  !  "  and 
the  old  man  broke  into  a  hearty  laugh. 

"  You  had  a  guest  the  night  I  went  away ;  he  left 
early  in  the  morning.    Who  was  he  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know,  monsieur.  He  was  a  stranger  who 
wished  to  learn  all  he  could  about  the  chief  folk  in  the 
district ;  but  he  was  an  enemy  to  the  Cause,  and  he 
did  not  carry  away  much  information.  Old  Pierre 
was  too  dense  to  understand  his  questions,"  and  the 
old  man  chuckled  again. 

"  Well,"  I  said  after  a  pause,  "  since  it  is  useless  going 
to  the  castle,  I  must  put  up  here  for  the  night.  I  am 
tired  and  hungry.  Get  me  some  supper  and  a  bed ; 
meanwhile  I  must  attend  to  my  horse  ;  the  poor  beast 
has  carried  me  far." 

Pierre's  information  was  very  disquieting,  but,  as 
my  father  had  evidently  received  timely  warning,  I 
trusted  he  had  effected  his  escape,  and  that  by  this 
time  he  was  safely  sheltered  behind  the  strong  walls  of 
La  Rochelle. 

When  Pierre  brought  in  the  supper  I  asked  after 
Jacques,  and,  hearing  he  had  not  returned,  told  the 
landlord  to  inform  him  of  what  had  happened.  Whether 
he  would  endeavour  to  get  into  Rochelle  or  not  I  left  to 
himself. 

I  ate  my  supper  slowly,  my  mind  fully  occupied  with 
this  extraordinary  occurrence.  Why  had  my  father 
thus  suddenly  been  marked  down  for  vengeance  ?  He 
was  a  noted  Huguenot, 'twas  true,  but  he  was  not  a  leader 
such  as  Cond6  or  the  Admiral.    He  had  sheltered  the 


A  Traitor  to  the  King        49 

wounded  messenger,  and  had  allowed  me  to  carry  the 
warning  to  Tanlay. 

This,  of  course,  was  sufficient  to  incur  the  Queen 
Mother's  displeasure;  but  how  had  the  knowledge 
reached  her  ?    Who  was  there  at  Le  Blanc  able  and 

willing  to  betray  our  secrets  ?    Not  a  soul,  unless ! 

Ah,  the  name  leaped  of  itself  into  my  mind.  Who  was 
the  maker  of  mischief  but  Etienne  Cordel  ? 

I  put  together  all  that  I  had  heard  of  this  man  whom 
Jacques  detested  so  thoroughly.  He  was  a  lawyer, 
who,  by  some  means,  had  amassed  wealth  and  lands. 
Numerous  stories,  all  evil,  were  related  of  him,  and  it 
was  rumoured  that  he  had  long  served  as  a  useful  tool 
to  persons  in  high  places.  At  least  he  had  prospered 
exceedingly  in  some  mysterious  manner,  and  it  was 
said  he  had  been  promised  a  patent  of  nobility.  I  called 
for  Pierre,  and  asked  if  he  had  heard  anything  fresh 
lately  of  this  upstart  lawyer. 

"  No,  monsieur,"  he  answered,  "  Cordel  had  gone 
away  before  the  soldiers  came,  and  he  has  not  yet 
returned.  He  went  hurriedly,  after  a  visit  from  the 
cavalier  who  slept  here.     Monsieur  does  not  think " 

"  For  the  present  I  think  nothing,  Pierre.  I  am 
tired  and  will  go  to  bed.  Get  me  an  early  breakfast, 
so  that  I  can  proceed  on  my  journey  in  the  cool  of  the 
morning." 

Of  what  use  were  my  suspicions,  even  if  I  proved 
them  to  be  correct  ?  The  mischief  was  done,  and  I 
could  not  undo  it.  My  father  was  a  fugitive  from  his 
home,  to  which  he  dared  not  return,  and  it  only  remained 
for  me  to  join  him. 

F.A.  4 


5  o         A  Traitor  to  the  King 

I  went  to  bed,  and,  in  spite  of  my  anxiety,  was  soon 
asleep,  for  the  long  journey  from  Noyers  had  been  both 
tedious  and  fatiguing.  Pierre  called  me  early,  and 
while  the  village  still  slumbered  I  set  forth. 

"  Monsieur  goes  to  Rochelle  ?  "  asked  the  old  man, 
as  I  vaulted  lightly  into  the  saddle. 

"  Yes,  at  present  I  intend  going  to  Rochelle." 

"  It  is  said  here  that  the  war  has  begun  again." 

"  If  it  has  not,  it  soon  will,  Pierre,  and  when  it  is 
finished,  the  Sieur  Le  Blanc  will  once  more  be  master 
of  his  castle." 

"  Heaven  grant  it,  monsieur,"  said  he  earnestly,  as 
I  rode  off. 

The  state  of  the  country  west  of  Le  Blanc  was  even 
more  deplorable  than  what  I  had  seen  during  my  journey 
to  Tanlay.  The  fields  were  bare  both  of  corn  and  of 
cattle ;  the  villagers  were  starving ;  the  people  of  the 
towns  went  about  in  fear  and  trembling ;  the  king's 
troops  robbed  as  they  pleased  without  restraint. 

At  Poictiers  I  found  the  citizens  in  a  state  of  dangerous 
excitement.  Armed  bands,  some  Huguenots,  some 
Catholics,  patrolled  the  streets,  singing  and  shouting, 
and  uttering  threats  of  vengeance.  Fearful  of  being 
mixed  up  in  these  disturbances,  I  alighted  before  the 
door  of  the  first  decent  inn,  gave  my  horse  to  the  ostler, 
and  entered. 

"  Your  streets  are  a  trifle  dangerous  for  a  peaceful 
traveller,"  I  remarked  to  the  landlord,  who  showed  me 
to  a  room. 

"  What  would  you,  monsieur  ?  "  he  asked,  with  a 
shrug  of  the  shoulders';  "  the  times  are  evil.    These 


A  Traitor  to  the  King         5  i 

miserable  heretics  disturb  the  whole  country  with  their 
senseless  brawls.  But  the  mischief  will  be  stamped  out 
before  long." 

"  How  ?  "  I  said.  "  Has  not  the  king  granted  them 
the  privilege  of  worshipping  in  their  own  way  ?  " 

"  Ah,  monsieur,  that  was  meant  but  for  a  time.  The 
Queen-Mother  will  make  a  clean  sweep  of  their  rights 
as  soon  as  she  has  power  enough.  And  it  is  said," 
here  he  lowered  his  voice  to  a  confidential  whisper, 
"  that  a  royal  army  is  already  marching  from  Paris. 
But  monsieur  is  hungry  ?  " 

"  Hungry  and  thirsty  both,"  I  replied.  "  What  is 
that  ?  "  for  the  sounds  of  angry  voices  came  from  the 
outside. 

"  It  is  nothing,  monsieur  ;  some  one  has  drawn  a 
knife,  perhaps,  and  there  is  a  little  fighting,  but  that 
is  all.  One  does  not  regard  these  things,"  and  he 
hurried  off  to  prepare  my  meal. 

After  leaving  Poictiers,  I  avoided  the  towns  as  much 
as  possible,  though  travelling  in  the  country  districts 
was  nearly  as  hazardous.  The  peasants  having  no 
work,  and  being  without  food,  had  formed  themselves 
into  robber  bands,  and  more  than  once  I  owed  my 
safety  to  the  fleetness  of  my  horse. 

However,  on  the  evening  of  the  second  day,  I  reached 
Rochelle,  just  as  the  gates  were  being  closed.  The 
streets  were  filled  with  citizens  and  Huguenot  soldiers, 
and  it  was  apparent  that  the  illustrious  fugitives  had 
arrived  safely  at  their  stronghold. 

Being  a  stranger  to  the  city  I  rode  slowly  along  the 
street,   noting   the   houses,   and   scanning   the   people 


52         A  Traitor  to  the  King 

closely,  on  the  chance  of  discovering  a  familiar  face. 
In  all  my  solitary  wanderings  I  had  not  felt  as  lonely 
as  I  did  now,  amidst  a  seething  crowd  of  my  fellow- 
creatures. 

The  first  thing,  of  course,  was  to  find  my  father,  but 
on  coming  to  the  Hotel  Coligny,  I  resolved  to  dismount 
and  to  seek  out  Felix  Bellidvre.  Fortunately,  he  was 
within,  and  I  received  a  hearty  welcome,  which  caused 
me  to  feel  once  more  as  if  I  belonged  to  the  world  of 
human  beings. 

"  Faith,  Edmond,"  he  cried  cheerily,  "  the  grass  has 
not  grown  under  your  feet !  I  did  not  expect  you  until 
to-morrow,  at  the  earliest." 

"  One  does  not  care  to  linger  around  an  empty  nest," 
I  replied  moodily. 

"  Empty  only  for  a  short  time,  I  hope.  Do  not  look 
so  astonished.  I  have  seen  your  father.  More  than 
that,  I  have  been  presented  to  your  sister.  Already 
I  am  a  friend  of  the  family  !  I  will  conduct  you  to  the 
house,  if  you  wish.  Come,  I  have  plenty  of  leisure, 
and  you  will  serve  as  an  excellent  excuse  for  my 
visit." 

"  How  did  you  happen  to  become  acquainted  with 
my  father  ?  "  I  asked,  as  we  walked  along. 

"  In  the  simplest  way  imaginable,  my  dear  Edmond. 
He  called  to  pay  his  respects  to  the  Admiral ;  being 
on  duty  at  the  time,  I  heard  his  name,  and  made  my- 
self known  as  your  friend.  He  was  eager  to  hear  news 
of  you,  and  carried  me  off.  I  met  your  sister,  and  you 
will  not  be  surprised  that  within  twenty-four  hours  I  weis 
repeating  my  visit.    You  see  there  were  so  many  things 


A  Traitor  to  the  King         5  3 

to  tell  her  about  yourself,"  and  he  laughed  roguishly. 

"  Are  they  depressed  by  what  has  happened  ?  " 

"  Not  in  the  least ;  they  regard  it  as  a  trial  of  their 
faith ;  but  here  we  are  at  the  house.  I  fear  you  will 
not  see  your  estimable  aunt ;  she  is  an  invalid,  and  keeps 
strictly  to  her  own  rooms.  Ah,  here  is  one  of  the  ser- 
vants ;  let  him  attend  to  your  animal,  and  I  will 
announce  you.  Your  sister  will  fall  on  your  neck  and 
embrace  you.  Do  you  think  it  possible  for  us  to 
change  parts  for  a  few  minutes  ?  " 

He  was  still  laughing  and  talking  in  his  madcap  way 
when  a  door  opened,  and  my  father  came  towards 
us. 

"  Edmond  !  "  he  cried,  on  seeing  me,  "  now  this  is 
indeed  bright  sunshine  gleaming  through  the  dark 
clouds.  Monsieur  Bellievre,  you  are  doubly  welcome, 
for  your  own  sake  and  for  what  you  bring  with 
you  !  " 

The  memory  of  the  pleasant  evening  that  followed 
I  treasured  for  many  years.  I  sat  beside  my  mother, 
my  hand  clasped  in  hers,  telling  her  the  story  of  my 
adventures.  Jeanne  was  full  of  high  spirits,  while 
Fehx  was  simply  overflowing  with  wit  and  good- 
humoured  drollery. 

The  only  drawback  to  our  enjoyment  was  the  absence 
of  the  trusted  Jacques,  but  even  that  was  slight,  as  he 
was  not  seriously  wounded,  and  from  the  household  of 
the  noble  Count  St.  Cyr  he  was  certain  to  receive  every 
attention. 

Nothing  was  said  that  evening  about  the  visit  of  the 
troops  to  Le  Blanc,  but  the  next  morning  I  had  a  long 


54         A  Traitor  to  the  King 

talk  with  my  father  on  the  subject.  I  told  him  what 
I  had  learned  from  old  Pierre,  and  also  my  suspicions 
concerning  Etienne  Cordel. 

"  The  advocate  is  a  scheming  rogue,"  he  said,  "  who 
bears  me  no  goodwill  because  I  have  laughed  at  his 
pretensions  to  be  considered  our  equal.  He  is  in  the 
pay  of  Monseigneur,  and  he  has  acted  as  a  spy  on  those 
of  the  Religion  ;  but,  unless  he  heard  of  the  affair  of  the 
letter,  he  could  do  me  no  harm." 

"  He  must  have  heard  of  it  from  the  stranger  with 
whom  we  travelled,"  I  declared.  "  Jacques  distrusted 
him  from  the  first,  and  believed  he  was  one  of  those 
who  attacked  Devine.    Did  he  recover  ?  " 

*'  Yes ;  he  is  in  Rochelle,  fretting  and  fuming  at 
having  been  prevented  from  fulfilling  his  mission.  But 
to  return  to  our  own  affairs.  Have  you  considered  what 
this  proclamation  means  ?  " 

"That  your  life  is  in  danger." 

"  A  bagatelle,  Edmond.  It  has  been  in  danger  these 
many  years.  There  is  something  far  more  serious.  As 
a  traitor  to  the  king,  my  estates  are  forfeit,  and  you 
will  grow  up  to  see  another  man  master  of  the  land 
which  by  right  is  yours.  It  is  a  heavy  price  for  you  to 
pay,  my  boy." 

Now  I  hold  it  folly  to  pretend  that  this  caused  me  no 
grief,  but  I  was  young  and  enthusiastic,  and  sensible 
enough  to  know  that  any  sign  of  sorrow  would  add  to 
my  father's  unhappiness.  So  I  looked  straight  into  his 
eyes  and  said  brightly,  "  Others  have  paid  a  heavy  price 
for  their  faith  without  murmuring ;  I  am  strong  enough 
to  do  the  same." 


A  Traitor  to  the  King         5  5 

He  held  me  in  his  arms  and  kissed  my  cheeks,  saying : 
"  Now  God  bless  and  reward  you  for  those  brave  words, 
my  son,"  and  never  before  in  all  my  hfe  had  I  seen  him 
so  deeply  moved. 


CHAPTER   VI 

The  Unknown  Cavalier 

My  father  had  already  accepted  the  Admiral's  kind 
offer,  so,  after  a  few  days  of  idleness,  I  began  my  new 
duties,  meeting  with  a  genial  reception  from  my  future 
comrades,  several  of  whom  were  but  a  little  older  than 
myself. 

Every  day  now  some  fresh  note  of  alarm  sounded. 
The  king  withdrew  the  privileges  he  had  granted  to 
those  of  the  Religion,  and  from  several  quarters  we 
learned  that  civil  war  in  all  but  the  name  had  broken 
out  afresh.  It  was  said,  too,  that  the  king  had  given 
command  of  the  royal  army  to  his  brother,  the  Duke 
of  Anjou,  with  orders  to  exterminate  us,  root  and 
branch. 

"  Anjou  !  "  laughed  my  comrade,  "  why,  he  is  only 
a  boy !  He  should  be  doing  his  lessons.  Has  the 
king  provided  him  with  a  nurse  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  he  will  find  Marshal  Tavannes 
a  very  capable  nurse." 

"  Oh,  that  is  the  way  of  it,  eh  ?  Faith,  'tis  a  good 
plan,  for,  see  you,  Edmond,  if  there  be  any  glory  'twill 
go  to  Anjou,  while  Tavannes  can  take  the  discredit. 


The  Unknown  Cavalier        57 

A  capital  arrangement — that  is,  from  Monseigneur's 
point  of  view  !  " 

Meanwhile  numbers  of  Huguenot  gentlemen  with 
their  retainers  were  arriving  atRochelle,  and  our  leaders 
were  soon  able  to  muster  a  respectable  little  army. 

"  Anjou  must  make  haste  if  he  wishes  to  cover  him- 
self with  glory,"  said  Felix  one  morning.  "  The  Queen 
of  Navarre  will  be  here  to-morrow,  bringing  four  thou- 
sand Bearnese  with  her.  They  are  sturdy  fellows  and 
splendid  fighters." 

"  There  is  another  item  of  news,"  I  said.  "  The 
English  queen  is  sending  money  and  guns  !  " 

"  Ah,"  responded  my  comrade,  "  the  English  are 
stupid !  Why  don't  they  join  as  boldly  ?  We  are 
fighting  for  the  same  object,  and  against  the  same 
enemy.  For,  mark  you,  Edmond,  our  real  foes  are 
Spain  and  the  Pope,  which  these  English  will  find  out 
one  of  these  days  !  If  we  get  beaten,  it  will  be  their 
turn  next." 

We  gave  the  brave  Queen  of  Navarre  and  her  troops 
a  right  royal  reception,  but  to  me  the  most  interesting 
figure  in  the  procession  was  her  son,  Henry,  on  whom 
in  the  years  to  come  the  hopes  of  so  many  Frenchmen 
were  centred.  He  was  quite  a  boy,  only  fifteen  years 
old,  but  he  had  a  strong  and  capable  face,  full  of  fire 
and  energy.  His  hair  had  a  reddish  tinge,  his  skin  was 
brown  but  clear,  and  he  had  well-shaped  regular 
features.  His  eyes  had  a  sweet  expression,  and  when 
he  smiled  his  whole  face  lit  up  with  animation.  He 
sat  his  horse  with  extreme  grace,  and  responded  to 
the  plaudits  of  the  crowd  with  courtly  bows. 


58        The  Unknown  Cavalier 

"  A  gallant  lad  !  "  exclaimed  Felix  delightedly.  "  He 
has  the  makings  of  a  soldier,  and  in  a  year  or  two  will 
be  a  tower  of  strength  to  us." 

The  talk  now  among  the  younger  men  was  of  moving 
out  from  Rochelle,  scattering  the  Royalists,  marching 
on  Paris,  and  dictating  peace  in  the  palace.  It  was 
astonishing  how  easy  these  things  appeared  to  be,  as 
we  sat  and  gossiped  idly  in  the  Admiral's  ante-chamber  ! 
Fortunately,  however,  our  leaders,  being  in  possession 
of  cooler  heads  and  clearer  brains,  decided  otherwise, 
and  when  winter  came,  making  a  campaign  impossible, 
we  were  still  inside  the  walls. 

During  the  autumn  we  were  joined  by  a  troop  of 
English  gentlemen,  about  a  hundred  strong,  under 
the  leadership  of  one  named  Henry  Champernoun. 
They  were  mostly  young,  of  good  birth  and  family, 
very  gallant  fellows,  and  as  eager  to  fight  as  the  most 
headstrong  of  us. 

With  one  of  them — Roger  Braund,  a  lad  about  the 
same  age  as  Felix — ^we  soon  became  very  friendly. 
He  was  fair  and  handsome,  with  sparkling  blue  eyes 
and  shapely  features.  He  was  tall  and  well  made,  a 
skilful  horseman,  and  an  astonishing  master  of  fence. 
Few  of  us  could  equal  him  with  the  sword,  but  he  was 
modest  and  unassuming,  and  had  a  genial  manner, 
very  captivating. 

He  was  a  frequent  visitor  at  my  aunt's  house,  where 
he  speedily  became  as  great  a  favourite  as  Felix.  In- 
deed, I  sometimes  thought  that  Jeanne  regarded  him 
with  even  more  favour.  She  spent  much  time  in  his 
company,  listening  to  his  accounts  of  the  English  Court 


The  Unknown  Cavalier        59 

and  of  his  own  home,  which  was  situated  in  a  district 
called  Devonshire.  I  think  Felix  was  not  too  well 
pleased  with  this  intimacy,  but  whatever  sorrow  it 
caused  him  he  kept  locked  up  in  his  own  breast. 

One  evening,  they  started  together  to  the  house, 
expecting  me  to  follow  as  soon  as  I  was  relieved  of  my 
duty.  It  was,  I  remember,  about  a  half  after  six,  when 
I  left  the  hotel.  The  streets  as  usual  were  thronged 
with  citizens  and  soldiers,  who  in  some  places  almost 
blocked  the  road.  In  front  of  me  was  a  horseman,  to 
all  appearance  but  newly  arrived.  He  was  proceeding 
at  a  foot  pace,  and  evidently  looking  for  suitable  accom- 
modation. 

"  A  fine  beast !  "  I  thought,  glancing  at  the  animal, 
and  then — "  Surely  I  have  seen  that  horse  before  !  " 

The  knowledge  did  not  come  to  me  at  once,  but  by 
degrees  I  remembered  the  early  morning  ride  through 
the  sleeping  village  of  Le  Blanc,  and  the  richly-dressed 
cavalier  with  whom  we  had  travelled  some  distance. 
I  quickened  my  steps,  and  scanned  the  rider  closely. 
I  could  not  see  his  face  well,  but  there  cpuld  be  no  mis- 
taking the  alert,  soldierly  figure,  and  the  short,  brown 
curls  escaping  over  the  forehead. 

"  Faith,  my  friend,"  I  said  to  myself,  "  the  tables 
are  turned  now  !  One  word  from  me,  and  you  would 
be  torn  in  pieces  ;  but  you  must  be  a  brave  rascal  to 
venture  alone  into  Rochelle  !  If  Anjou  has  many 
spies  as  fearless  as  you,  he  must  be  well  served." 

I  walked  close  behind  him,  wondering  what  was 
best  to  be  done.  He  was  certainly  a  spy,  who  had 
entered  the  city  for  the  purpose  qf  searching  out  our 


6o        The  Unknown  Cavalier 

strength  and  weakness.  Perhaps  it  would  be  best  to 
call  a  patrol,  and  have  him  arrested  on  the  spot.  I 
was  still  considering  this,  when  he  turned  up  a  side 
street  and  dismounted  before  the  door  of  an  inn.  An 
ostler  led  his  horse  to  the  stables,  and  he  entered  the 
house. 

Now  the  fellow  was  so  completely  in  my  power  that 
I  had  the  mind  to  watch  him  a  little  further.  Several 
persons  were  in  the  room,  but  he  had  taken  his  place 
at  an  unoccupied  table  in  the  corner,  and  called  for 
the  host. 

"  Some  food  and  a  little  wine,"  he  said,  "  but  serve 
me  quickly ;   I  have  important  business  on  hand." 

"  Monsieur  has  travelled  ?  "  said  the  landlord,  with 
a  glance  at  his  boots. 

"  Yes,"  he  answered,  "  and  one  feels  safer  inside 
Rochelle  than  beyond  its  walls,  let  me  tell  you  !  " 

"  What  is  Anjou  doing  now,  monsieur  ?  "  asked  a 
man  at  one  of  the  other  tables. 

"  Killing,"  said  the  stranger  briefly.  "  Rochelle 
will  soon  be  able  to  hold  all  those  left  of  the  Religion." 

"  I  vow,"  exclaimed  an  iron-featured  trooper,  "  it 
makes  one  wonder  our  leaders  should  keep  us  cooped 
up  here." 

"  You  had  better  offer  your  opinion  to  the  Admiral, 
or  to  Cond^"  said  the  stranger  with  a  laugh,  and  he 
turned  his  attention  to  the  food  that  had  been  set  be- 
fore him. 

He  ate  and  drank  quickly,  taking  no  further  part  in 
the  conversation,  but  apparently  as  much  at  ease  as  if 
sitting  at  Anjou's  table. 


The  Unknown  Cavalier        6i 

"  You  will  require  a  room,  monsieur  ? "  said  the 
host  presently. 

"  I  will  pay  for  one,  though  I  may  not  use  it." 

"  And  your  horse,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  Will  remain  in  the  stables." 

He  had  nearly  finished  his  meal  now,  and,  acting 
on  a  sudden  impulse,  I  crossed  the  room  and  sat  down 
opposite  him.  He  looked  up  at  me  in  a  casual  way, 
and  the  next  instant  understood  he  was  discovered. 
But  the  man  had  nerves  of  iron  ;  not  a  muscle  of  his 
face  moved ;  only  by  the  sudden  light  in  his  eyes  did 
I  know  that  he  recognized  me. 

"  The  game  is  to  me,  monsieur,"  I  said  simply. 

"  Yes,"  he  agreed,  "  the  game  is  yours,  but  do  not 
claim  the  stakes  until  I  have  spoken  with  you." 

"  The  game  is  altogether  finished,  monsieur,  and  you 
have  lost ;   you  cannot  throw  again." 

"  A  fig  for  the  game  !  "  he  said  ;  "  you  have  but  to 
raise  your  voice,  and  these  bloodhounds  will  bury  their 
fangs  in  my  heart.  I  know  that,  and  do  not  complain. 
I  ask  only  a  few  hours'  freedom." 

"  Surely,  monsieur,  in  the  circumstance,  that  is  a 
strange  request  I  " 

"  A  riddle  is  always  strange  when  one  does  not 
possess  the  key.  For  instance,  you  believe  I  have 
entered  Rochelle  as  a  spy." 

"  Exactly." 

"  And  yet  you  are  mistaken.  I  suppose  you  will 
laugh  at  my  story,  but  I  must  tell  it  you.  You  know 
me  only  as  an  opponent." 

"  A  clever  and  a  daring  one." 


62        The  Unknown  Cavalier 

"  And  yet  you  foiled  me  !  But  that  is  not  to  the 
point.  My  name  is  Renaud  L'Estang.  My  father 
was  a  gentleman,  poor  and  without  influence ;  I  had 
good  blood  in  my  veins  but  no  money  in  my  purse. 
My  only  chance  of  wealth  lay  in  my  sword.  I  sold  it 
to  the  highest  bidder.  In  short,  monsieur,  I  am  an 
adventurer,  no  better  and  no  worse  than  thousands  of 
others." 

"  And  in  the  pay  of  the  League !  " 

"  At  present,"  he  corrected,  with  a  courteous  inclina- 
tion of  the  head,  "  in  the  service  of  the  Duke  of  Anjou." 

"  Why  did  you  attack  me  at  Nevers  ?  " 

"  To  obtain  possession  of  the  letter  of  whose  contents 
we  were  in  ignorance." 

"  And  you  denounced  my  father  to  the  Duke  !  " 

"  There  you  wrong  me.  I  endeavoured  to  capture 
the  letter  ;  I  failed,  and  my  part  in  the  affair  was  over ; 
but  again  I  am  wandering  from  the  point,  which  is  to 
explain  my  presence  in  Rochelle.  Monsieur,  has  it 
ever  occurred  to  you  that  a  man  who  earns  his  livelihood 
by  his  sword  may  have  a  heart  the  same  as  more 
innocent  persons  ?  " 

"  No  one  is  without  some  virtue,"  I  said. 

"  There  is  one  person  in  the  world,"  he  continued, 
in  low  earnest  tones,  almost  as  if  communing  with  him- 
self, "  who  has  all  my  love  and  affection.  For  her  I  would 
wilhngly  die,  or  suffer  the  worst  tortures  a  fiend  could 
invent.  Monsieur,  there  is  but  one  person  on  earth  who 
loves  me  and  whom  I  love  ;  and  she  is  in  Rochelle, 
Ipng  at  the  point  of  death." 

"  Your  wife  ?  "  I  said  questioningly, 


The  Unknown  Cavalier        63 

"  My  mother  !  "  he  repHed.  "  In  her  eyes,  monsieur, 
I  possess  all  the  virtues.  It  is  strange,  is  it  not  ?  " 
and  he  laughed  a  trifle  bitterly. 

"  And  you  risked  your  life  to  comfort  her  before  she 
died  ?  " 

"  Bah  !  "  he  exclaimed  impatiently,  "  what  is  a  trifle 
like  that  ?  Monsieur,  I  never  yet  begged  a  favour,  but 
I  beg  one  now.  Not  for  myself,  but  for  her.  You  are 
young,  and  have  a  mother  of  your  own  !  I  shall  not 
plead  to  you  vainly.  I  tried  to  kill  you,  but  you  wiU 
not  take  your  revenge  on  her.  And  I  am  altogether  in 
your  power." 

"  Yes,"  I  said  slowly,  "  that  is  true." 

"  You  can  send  for  a  guard,  but  without  explaining 
your  object.  They  can  surround  the  house,  while  I 
close  my  mother's  eyes,  and  afterwards  I  am  at  your 
service.  The  gallows,  the  block,  or  the  wheel,  as  your 
leaders  direct ;  you  will  not  lose  much." 

"  No,  I  shall  not  lose  much,"  I  repeated. 

Now,  strangely  perhaps,  I  felt  not  the  slightest  doubt 
of  the  man's  story.  His  good  faith  was  apparent  in 
every  tone  and  every  gesture.  Whatever  his  vices, 
he  loved  his  mother  with  his  whole  heart.  And  he  was 
entirely  in  my  power  !  Even  if  he  got  away  from  me 
in  the  streets  he  could  not  leave  Rochelle  !  I  thought 
of  my  own  mother,  and  hesitated  no  longer.  I  could 
not  keep  these  two  apart. 

"  Monsieur,"  I  said, "  for  good  or  ill  I  intend  to  trust 
you.  We  will  go  together  to  your  home,  and — and 
afterwards  you  will  return  with  me  to  the  Hotel  Coligny. 
If  you  abuse  my  confidence,  I  will  leave  your  punish- 


64        The  Unknown  Cavalier 

ment  in  the  hands  of  God,  who  judges  Huguenot  and 
CathoHc  aUke.     Come,  let  us  hasten." 

He  made  no  violent  protestations,  but  murmured 
brokenly  :  "  May  the  blessing  of  a  dying  woman  reward 
you  !  " 

We  passed  out  of  the  inn  together,  and  walked  briskly 
through  the  streets,  until  we  reached  a  house  not  far 
from  the  harbour.  The  door  was  opened  by  a  middle- 
aged  woman  who  gazed  at  my  companion  in  astonish- 
ment. 

"  Hush  !  "  he  said  softly,  "am  I  in  time  ?  '* 

"  For  the  end,"  she  answered,  "  only  for  that.  Madame 
has  already  received  the  last  rites." 

The  woman  showed  us  into  an  empty  room,  where 
my  companion  laid  aside  his  weapons. 

"  You  do  not  repent  of  your  generosity  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  I  have  trusted  you  fully,"  I  replied,  and  his  face 
lit  up  with  a  gratified  smile  as  he  left  the  room,  stepping 
noiselessly  into  the  corridor. 

The  servant  brought  a  light,  and  some  refreshments, 
but  they  stood  before  me  untasted.  I  was  busy  with 
my  thoughts.  The  house  was  very  still ;  not  a  sound 
broke  the  silence,  not  the  murmur  of  a  voice,  nor  the 
fall  of  a  footstep.  I  might  have  been  in  a  house  of 
the  dead. 

Suddenly  the  door  was  pushed  open  noiselessly,  and 
the  adventurer  stood  before  me  beckoning.  I  rose 
from  my  seat  and  followed  him  without  a  word  into 
another  apartment.  In  the  bed  in  the  alcove  a  woman 
lay  dying.  She  must  have  been  beautiful  in  her  youth, 
and  traces  of  beauty  still  hngered  on  her  face.    She 


The  Unknown  Cavalier        65 

stretched  out  her  hands  and  drew  my  head  down  to 
hers. 

"  Renaud  tells  me  you  have  done  him  a  great  ser- 
vice," she  said  feebly.  "It  is  through  you  that  he 
was  able  to  come  to  me.  A  dying  woman  blesses  you, 
monsieur,  and  surely  the  saints  will  reward  you.  A 
goodly  youth  !  A  goodly  youth  !  May  God  hold  you 
in  His  holy  keeping  !  Treasure  him,  Renaud,  my  son, 
even  to  the  giving  of  your  life  for  his  !  " 

Her  eyes  closed,  she  sank  back  exhausted,  and  I 
stole  from  the  room.  How  my  heart  ached  that  night ! 
"Treasure  him,  Renaud  !  "  Poor  soul !  How  merciful 
that  she  should  die  ignorant  of  the  wretched  truth  ! 
*'  Even  to  the  giving  of  your  life  for  his  !  "  And  his 
life  was  in  my  hands  already  !  Oh,  the  pity,  the  horror 
of  it !  She  called  on  God  to  bless  me,  and  I  was  about 
to  lead  her  only  son  straight  from  her  death-bed  to  the 
executioner  ! 

For  I  could  not  disguise  from  myself  the  fact  that 
this  man  would  die  the  death  of  a  spy.  Ambroise 
Devine  was  in  Rochelle,  and  he  would  show  no  mercy. 
And,  terrible  as  it  might  seem,  there  were  those  in  the 
city  who  would  scout  the  idea  that  Renaud  L'Estang 
had  risked  his  life  solely  to  visit  his  dying  mother.  "  He 
is  a  spy,"  they  would  declare  hotly ;  "let  him  die 
a  spy's  death  !  " 

"  It  is  not  my  fault,"  I  said  to  myself  angrily;  "  he 
has  lost ;   he  must  pay  forfeit !  " 

"  A  dying  woman  blesses  you,  and  surely  the  saints 
will  reward  you  !  "  The  room  was  filled  with  the  words  ; 
they  buzzed  in  my  ears,  and  beat  into  toy  brain  con- 

F.A.  5 


66        The  Unknown  Cavalier 

tinually ;  I  could  not  rid  myself  of  them.  "  A  dying 
woman  !  "  Ay,  perhaps  a  dead  woman  by  now,  and 
her  son  following  swiftly  as  the  night  the  day  !  I  could 
have  cried  aloud  in  my  agony  of  mind, 


CHAPTER    VII 
A   Commission  for  the  Admiral 

"  It  is  over,  monsieur." 

Renaud  L'Estang  stood  before  me,  his  face  drawn 
and  haggard,  and  heavy  with  a  great  grief.  He  had 
stolen  in  noiselessly ;  his  sword  and  pistol  lay  within 
reach  of  his  hand  ;  he  might  have  killed  me  without 
effort,  and  saved  his  own  life.  The  thought  flashed  into 
my  mind,  but  died  away  instantly.  From  the  moment 
when  he  told  his  story  I  had  never  once  mistrusted  him. 

"  Your  mother  has  passed  away  ?  "  I  questioned  in 
a  tone  of  sympathy. 

"  She  died  in  my  arms  ;  her  last  moments  were  full 
of  peace.     Now,  I  am  at  your  service." 

"  You  are  faint,"  I  said.  "  Will  it  not  be  advisable 
to  break  your  fast  before  starting  out  ?  You  will 
need  all  your  strength.", 

"  I  cannot  eat." 

"  Yet  it  is  necessary.  Pardon  me  if  I  summon  your 
servant." 

He  allowed  himself  to  be  treated  almost  as  a  child, 

eating  and  drinking  mechanically  what  was  set  before 

him,  hardly  conscious  of  my  presence,  unable  to  detach 

his  thoughts  from  the  sombre  picture  in  the  adjoining 

ff? 


68    A  Commission  for  the  Admiral 

apartment.  At  last  he  had  finished,  and  I  said  gently, 
"  Have  you  made  arrangements  for  your  mother's 
burial  ?  " 

"  They  are  all  made,"  he  replied  gravely. 

"  There  is  your  sword,"  I  remarked,  pointing  to  the 
weapon  lying  on  the  table. 

"  Let  it  lie,  monsieur,"  he  answered  with  a  mournful 
smile ;  "  a  dead  man  has  no  use  for  a  sword." 

Now  I  may  have  done  a  very  fooUsh  thing,  for  this 
L'Estang  was  a  daring  soldier,  crafty,  able,  and  resolute. 
He  was  an  enemy  to  be  feared  far  more  than  many  a 
general  in  the  armies  of  the  League.  All  this  was  well 
known  to  me,  and  yet  I  could  not  harden  my  heart 
against  him.  I  had  meant  to  denounce  him  to  the 
Admiral,  but  at  the  last  moment  my  courage  failed. 
How  could  I  condemn  to  death  this  man  who  had  freely 
risked  his  hfe  to  comfort  his  mother's  last  moments  ? 

"  Monsieur,"  I  said  awkwardly,  "  listen  to  me.  When 
I  met  you  in  the  city,  I  jumped  to  the  conclusion  that 
you  had  come  to  Rochelle  as  a  spy.  You  told  me  your 
story, and  I  believed  it;  but  you  have  doubtless  many 
enemies  who  will  laugh  at  it.    They  will  say " 

"  Nothing,  monsieur  ;  I  shall  go  to  the  block  without 
words.  Renaud  L'Estang  will  find  no  mercy  in  Rochelle, 
and  asks  none." 

There  was  no  hint  of  bravado  in  his  speech  ;  it  was 
but  the  expression  of  a  man  of  intrepid  courage  and 
iron  will. 

"  Once  more  listen,"  I  said.  "  Had  you  come  to 
Rochelle  as  a  spy  I  should  have  handed  you  over  to 
our  troops  without  hesitation  ;  but  I  am  regarding  you, 


A  Commission  for  the  Admiral   69 

not  £is  the  servant  of  Anjou  but  as  a  tender  and  loving 
son.  I  cannot  have  on  my  hands  the  blood  of  a  man 
who  has  shown  such  affection  for  his  mother.  I  propose 
to  accompany  you  to  the  gate,  and  there  to  set  you  at 
hberty." 

He  stood  like  one  suddenly  stricken  dumb.  His 
limbs  trembled,  the  muscles  of  his  face  twitched  convul- 
sively ;   he  gazed  at  me  with  unseeing  eyes. 

"  Monsieur,"  he  said  after  a  time,  "  I  do  not  compre- 
hend. Is  it  that  you  give  me,  Renaud  L'Estang,  my 
life  ?    No,  I  must  have  mistaken  your  words." 

"  You  have  made  no  mistake.  As  far  as  I  am  con- 
cerned you  are  free.  I  ask  but  one  thing,  Renaud 
L'Estang.  Some  day  you  may  be  able  to  show  mercy 
to  one  of  your  foes.  Should  such  a  time  arrive,  remem- 
ber that  once  mercy  was  not  withheld  from  you." 

He  did  not  speak,  but  motioned  me  with  his  hand  to 
follow  him.  We  entered  the  chamber  of  death,  and 
he  knelt  reverently  by  the  bedside.  Then,  in  low, 
passionate  tones,  calling  on  the  dead  woman  by  name, 
he  made  a  solemn  vow  that,  should  it  ever  be  in  his 
power,  he  would  repay  the  debt  he  owed  me,  even  at 
the  sacrifice  of  life  and  all  he  held  most  dear. 

"  I  must  fight  for  my  side,"  he  said,  "  but  no  Hugue- 
not shall  ever  seek  quarter  from  me  in  vain." 

He  buckled  on  his  sword,  and  we  went  out  together 
in  the  dull  grey  morning.  Few  persons  were  abroad, 
and  none  presumed  to  question  one  of  the  Admiral's 
household.  My  companion  fetched  his  horse  from  the 
inn,  and  I  walked  with  him  until  we  were  well  beyond 
the  walls  of  the  town. 


70    A  Commission  for  the  Admiral 

Then  I  came  to  a  halt,  saying  :  "  Here  we  part ;  now 
you  must  depend  on  yourself  for  safety." 

He  doffed  his  plumed  hat.  "  Monsieur,"  he  said, 
"  the  friends  of  Renaud  L'Estang  would  laugh  on  being 
told  he  was  at  a  loss  for  words ;  yet  it  is  true.  I  can- 
not express  my  gratitude  ;  I  can  but  pray  that  I  may 
have  an  opportunity  of  proving  it.    Good-bye  !  " 

"  Good-bye  !  "  I  replied,  and  when  he  had  ridden  some 
distance  I  returned  thoughtfully  to  the  city. 

Felix,  who  was  on  duty  at  the  hotel,  looked  at  me 
curiously.  "  Where  have  you  been  ?  "  he  asked.  "  We 
expected  you  last  night,  and  concluded  you  must  have 
been  detained  on  some  special  service.  I  have  been 
wearing  myself  to  a  shadow  on  your  account !  " 

I  made  some  commonplace  excuse  and  left  him,  say- 
ing I  was  tired  and  wished  to  sleep  ;  for,  though  I 
did  not  regret  my  action,  I  could  hardly  refrain  from 
doubting  its  wisdom. 

At  first  the  incident  occupied  a  large  portion  of 
my  thoughts,  but  as  the  days  passed  into  weeks  the 
memory  of  it  wore  off. 

Winter  had  set  in,  and  we  knew  the  campaign  would 
not  open  until  the  spring  of  the  next  year.  It  was 
a  trying  time  ;  the  cold  was  intense — the  oldest  veteran 
had  never  known  such  a  keen  frost — and  much  sick- 
ness broke  out  among  the  troops.  The  good  Admiral 
tended  them  with  the  devotion  of  a  father,  spending 
himself  in  their  service,  and  we  of  his  household  were 
kept  busy  from  morning  till  night. 

In  spite  of  every  care,  however,  our  losses  were  enor- 
mous, and  the  prospect  became  uery  gloomy.    Every 


A  Commission  for  the  Admiral    7 1 

one  looked  forward  with  eagerness  to  the  coming  of 
spring. 

"  If  the  winter  lasts  much  longer,"  said  Roger  Braund, 
one  night  when  we  had  all  met  at  my  aunt's  house, 
"  there  will  be  no  army  left." 

"  A  little  more  patience,"  my  father  exclaimed  smil- 
ingly ;  "  once  the  campaign  begins  you  will  have  no 
cause  to  complain  of  inaction  !  " 

"  Faith,"  laughed  Felix,  "  if  he  rides  with  the  Admiral, 
he  will  be  regretting  sometimes  having  left  the  comforts 
of  Rochelle." 

"  I  shall  probably  do  that,"  said  Roger,  glancing  at 
my  sister,  "  even  without  the  hard  riding." 

"  Then  you  are  a  caitiff  knight  and  no  true  soldier," 
I  broke  in  hastily,  for  Jeanne  was  blushing  furiously, 
and  my  comrade's  face  had  lost  its  merriment  ;  "  but, 
really,  things  are  becoming  serious ;  more  than  a  score 
of  men  have  died  to-day  I " 

"  Poor  fellows  !  "  said  my  mother  tenderly;  "  if  those 
who  force  us  into  these  cruel  wars  could  only  realize 
the  misery  they  cause  !  " 

"  I  fear,  madame,"  remarked  Roger,  "  that  the  suffer- 
ing troubles  them  little,  as  long  as  they  can  gain  their 
ends." 

About  a  week  after  this  conversation  there  were  signs 
that  our  long  inactivity  was  drawing  to  a  close.  The 
weather  became  far  milder  ;  the  ice  began  to  thaw, 
and  it  was  possible  for  the  soldiers  to  pass  the  nights  in 
some  degree  of  comfort.  Orders  were  issued  to  the 
various  leaders,  carts  were  collected  and  filled  with 
gtores,  bodies  of  troops  marched  out  from  the  city. 


72    A  Commission  for  the  Admiral 

and  preparations  for  the  campaign  were  actively  pushed 
forward. 

"  I  really  believe,"  said  Felix  one  morning,  "  that 
we  are  about  to  move.  Conde  has  issued  instructions 
for  all  his  followers  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness, 
and  a  body  of  infantry  left  Rochelle  an  hour  ago." 

We  were  on  duty  in  the  Admiral's  ante-chamber, 
and  my  comrade  had  just  finished  speaking  when  our 
leader,  attended  as  usual  by  the  Sieur  de  Guerchy, 
ascended  the  staircase.  He  glanced  round  at  us  with 
his  kindly  smile,  and,  clapping  me  lightly  on  the  shoulder, 
exclaimed :  "A  word  with  you  in  my  room.  Monsieur 
Le  Blanc." 

Expecting  some  trifling  commission,  such  as  often 
fell  to  his  gentlemen  of  the  bodyguard,  I  followed  him 
into  the  apartment,  and  stood  waiting  to  hear  his  com- 
mands. 

"  A  prudent  youth,  De  Guerchy,"  he  remarked  to 
his  companion,  "  and  not  without  experience.  He 
it  was  who  brought  the  timely  warning  to  Tanlay. 
His  father  is  the  Sieur  Le  Blanc." 

"  A  gallant  soldier  !  "  said  De  Guerchy  with  decision. 

"  And  I  think  the  lad  will  follow  in  his  father's  foot- 
steps. I  am  about  to  send  him  to  Saint  Jean  d'Angely, 
and  to  Cognac,"  adding,  with  a  laugh,  "  'tis  a  far  less 
distance  than  to  Tanlay." 

"  But  the  commission  is  almost  as  important,"  said 
De  Guerchy. 

"  Much  less  dangerous  though,"  and,  turning  to  me, 
he  added  :  "  Can  you  carry  a  letter  to  the  commandant 
at  Cognac  ?  " 


A  Commission  for  the  Admiral    7  3 

"  I  will  do^my  best,  my  lord." 

"  Then  make  your  preparations ;  I  shall  be  ready 
for  you  at  the  end  of  two  hours." 

I  saluted  and  returned  to  the  ante-chamber,  where 
Felix,  catching  sight  of  my  smiling  face,  exclaimed  : 
"  More  good  fortune,  Edmond  ?  I  shall  be  jealous  of 
you  soon  !  Why  do  the  Fates  select  you  for  their 
favours  ?  " 

"  It  is  an  affair  of  little  importance,"  I  said. 

"  Does  it  carry  you  away  from  Rochelle  ?  " 

"  A  short  distance  ;  but  I  must  attend  to  my  horse  ; 
our  patron  is  in  a  hurry,"  and  expecting  that  we  should 
meet  later  I  hurried  away. 

Having  saddled  my  horse  and  put  my  pistols  in  order 
I  paid  a  hasty  visit  home,  though  fully  expecting  to 
be  back  in  the  city  within  a  few  days.  My  father, 
however,  thought  my  absence  would  be  for  a  longer 
period. 

"  The  truth  is,  Edmond,"  he  said,  "  that  the  cam- 
paign has  opened.  Some  of  the  troops  have  already 
started,  and  Coligny  himself  leaves  the  city  before 
night.  So,  should  you  be  charged  with  a  message  for 
him,  you  are  not  likely  to  return  to  Rochelle." 

"  And  you  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  I  am  waiting  for  orders,  I  may  march  with  the  troops, 
or  remain  here  ;   it  depends  on  our  leaders." 

My  father's  information  put  a  greyer  colour  on  the 
farewell ;  Jeanne  and  my  mother  embraced  me  very 
tenderly,  and  neither  could  altogether  keep  back  the 
tell-tale  tears.  Still,  they  were  very  brave,  and  when 
at  last  I  rode  off,  they  stood  at  the  window  waving  their 


74    A  Commission  for  the  Admiral 

handkerchiefs  and  smiling,  though  I  suspect  the  smiles 
quickly  faded  after  I  disappeared  from  sight. 

I  found  the  hotel  in  a  state  of  commotion,  and  Felix, 
who  met  me  in  the  lobby,  exclaimed  excitedly  :  "  It 
has  begun,  Edmond ;  we  march  almost  immediately. 
I  am  just  going  to  say  good-bye  to  your  sister.  Will 
you  be  away  from  us  long  ?  " 

"  I  think  not.  I  am  carrying  a  despatch  to  the  com- 
mandants at  Saint  Jean  d'Angely  and  Cognac.  After- 
wards I  shall  rejoin  you." 

"  Till  we  meet  again  then,"  said  he,  hurriedly, 
anxious  to  make  the  most  of  the  short  time  still  at  his 
disposal. 

Several  of  our  leaders  besides  De  Guerchy  were  with 
the  Admiral,  and  from  time  to  time  one  of  them  came 
out,  mounted  his  horse,  and  galloped  off.  Presently 
the  door  opened,  and  De  Guerchy  called  me  inside, 
where  the  Admiral  handed  me  two  packets. 

"  One  for  the  commandant  at  Saint  Jean  d'Angely," 
he  said,  "  and  one  for  him  at  Cognac.  From  Cognac 
you  will  proceed  to  Angouleme,  unless  you  meet  with 
us  on  the  way.  I  need  not  warn  you  to  be  prudent 
and  vigilant,  nor  remind  you  that  these  despatches 
must  not  fall  into  the  hands  of  an  enemy.  Start  at 
once  ;  you  should  reach  Saint  Jean  d'Angely  before 
morning." 

I  took  the  packets,  placed  them  securely  inside  my 
doublet,  and,  after  a  last  word  of  caution  from  De 
Guerchy,  left  the  room.  The  news  of  the  coming  move- 
ment had  spread  throughout  the  town  and  the  streets 
were  crowded.    The   excitement   was  intense,   and   I 


A  Commission  for  the  Admiral    75 

witnessed  many  sad  scenes  ;  for  every  one  understood 
that  of  the  thousands  who  marched  from  Rochelle 
comparatively  few  would  return. 

Heavy  carts,  and  big,  clumsy  guns — chiefly  useful  for 
making  a  noise — rumbled  along  ;  dashing  cavaliers 
with  flaunting  favours  bestrode  their  horses  proudly  ; 
sturdy  foot-soldiers  carrying  murderous  pike  or  deadly 
arquebus  tramped  steadily  onward,  while  weeping  chil- 
dren and  silent,  white-faced  women  stood  bowed 
with  grief. 

Even  beyond  the  gates  I  found  crowds  of  people 
who  had  come  thus  far,  loth  to  say  the  last  farewell  to 
their  dear  ones  ;  but  after  a  while  I  left  the  throng 
behind,  and  set  my  horse  into  a  canter.  Now  and  again 
I  overtook  a  body  of  troops,  marching  cheerfully,  and 
singing  their  favourite  hymns.  They,  too,  were  tired 
of  inaction,  and  eager  to  plunge  into  the  strife. 

With  the  falling  of  darkness  I  slackened  my  pace, 
riding  carefully,  listening  for  any  unusual  sounds,  and 
peering  into  the  gloom.  I  had  not  forgotten  my  former 
adventure,  but  nothing  untoward  happened,  and  shortly 
after  midnight  I  drew  rein  at  the  gate  of  the  town. 

"  Your  business  ?  "  exclaimed  the  officer  of  the  guard. 

"  I  am  from  Rochelle,  with  a  despatch  for  your  com- 
mandant." 

"  From  the  Prince  ?  " 

"  From  the  Admiral — it  is  all  one.'* 

The  gate  was  opened,  and,  having  dismounted,  I 
led  my  horse  forward  by  the  bridle. 

"  You  have  had  a  dark  ride,  monsieur." 

"  But  a  safe  one,"  I  answered,  laughing.  "  Where  is 


76    A  Commission  for  the  Admiral 

the  commandant  to  be  found  ?  He  will  not  feel  well 
pleased  at  being  wakened  from  his  sleep." 

"  Ah,  you  do  not  know  him  !  He  is  like  the  owl,  and 
sleeps  only  in  the  daylight.  At  other  times  he  watches  ; 
he  is  going  the  rounds  now,  and  will  be  with  us  in  a 
few  minutes.  It  will  need  a  craftier  leader  than  Anjou 
to  take  Saint  Jean  d'Angely  by  surprise  !  Ah,  here  is 
the  commandant  !  " 

A  veteran  soldier,  with  white  moustaches,  white 
hair,  and  grizzled  beard !  A  strongly-built  man  of 
middle  height,  with  resolute,  determined  face,  and  an 
air  that  betokened  long  years  of  command. 

"  A  despatch  from  the  Admiral,  monsieur,"  I  said, 
saluting  and  handing  him  the  packet. 

Tearing  off  the  covering,  he  read  the  letter  by  the 
light  of  a  torch,  folded  the  paper,  and  put  it  away 
carefully.  By  his  face  one  could  not  judge  whether  the 
information  he  had  received  was  good  or  ill. 

"  You  are  from  Rochelle  ?  "  he  asked  sharply. 

"  I  have  just  ridden  from  there,  monsieur." 

"  And  are  you  returning  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur.     I  am  proceeding  to  Cognac." 

"  You  have  had  a  brisk  ride,  and  your  horse  is  in 
need  of  rest.     Come  with  me." 

He  conducted  me  to  an  inn,  wakened  the  landlord, 
and  did  not  leave  until  my  horse  was  comfortably 
stabled,  and  preparations  for  a  good  supper  were  in 
progress.  Then  he  said  :  "  You  wiU  be  starting  early 
in  the  morning.  Have  a  care  on  your  journey  to  Cognac. 
Bodies  of  the  enemy  have  been  prowling  around  the 
district  for  some  days." 


A  Commission  for  the  Admiral    7  7 

**  I  thank  you,  monsieur.  I  was  unaware  they  had 
ventured  so  far  south." 

"  They  are  striking,  I  think,  at  Angouleme,"  he  said; 
"  I  have  sent  a  courier  to  Rochelle  with  the  news. 
Good-night !    And  don't  let  the  rascals  snap  you  up." 

The  supper  was  an  excellent  one,  the  bed  delightfully 
cosy  and  inviting,  and  my  last  thought  was  one  of  regret 
at  having  to  leave  it  so  soon.  However,  I  turned  out 
at  the  landlord's  warning,  made  another  hearty  meal — 
these  journeys  were  keen  sharpeners  of  the  appetite — 
and  before  the  day  was  fairly  awake  had  started  in 
cheerful  spirits  for  Cognac. 


CHAPTER   VIII 

The   Tragedy    of  Jarnac 

What  led  to  the  dismal  disaster  that  overtook  us  at 
the  very  opening  of  the  campaign  I  cannot  say.  Some 
ascribe  it  to  the  rashness  of  the  Prince,  who  was  certainly 
a  very  impetuous  leader ;  but  it  is  ill  work  buffeting 
the  dead,  and  profitless  also.  And  if  his  fiery  temper 
did,  indeed,  bring  about  the  mischance,  he  exerted 
himself  as  a  gallant  gentleman  to  retrieve  his  error. 

By  great  good  fortune,  as  it  appeared  afterwards, 
I  had  carried  my  despatch  safely  to  Cognac,  and  was 
now,  after  spending  a  night  in  the  town,  riding  along 
the  bank  of  the  Charente  in  the  direction  of  Angou- 
leme.  I  had  not  encountered  any  of  Anjou's  troopers, 
though  at  Cognac  it  was  strongly  rumoured  they  were 
in  the  neighbourhood. 

The  day  was  cold  and  somewhat  cloudy,  the  sun 
shining  out  only  at  intervals,  and  there  was  a  suspicion 
of  rain  in  the  air.  Partly  to  restore  the  circulation, 
and  partly  to  ease  my  horse — for  we  were  ascending  a 
hill — I  had  dismounted,  and  was  walking  briskly  along 
at  the  animal's  side. 

From  the  brow  of  the  hill  I  had  a  clear  view  of 
the  wide  plain  stretching  before  me.  Huddled  together 
in  one  comer  was  the  cluster  of  houses  forming  the 

78 


The  Tragedy  of  Jarnac         7  9 

village  of  Jarnac,  where  I  intended  to  break  my  journey. 
Presently,  however,  I  caught  sight  of  something  which 
put  all  thought  of  food  and  rest  out  of  my  head.  A 
body  of  cavalry  had  halted  on  the  plain.  Some  of 
the  men  were  lying  down,  some  drinking  from  the  brook, 
but  scouts  were  stationed  at  a  distance  from  the  main 
body  to  give  warning  of  any  hostile  approach. 

"  This  is  either  Anjou  or  Conde,"  I  thought,  "  and 
in  any  case  it  is  necessary  to  discover  which." 

Still  leading  my  horse,  I  crept  down  the  hill,  and 
advanced  some  distance  across  the  plain,  ready  directly 
danger  threatened  to  mount  and  ride.  As  soon,  however, 
as  I  drew  close  enough  to  distinguish  the  scouts  I  saw 
they  were  friends,  and  went  on  boldly. 

Where  was  Coligny  ?  They  did  not  know  ;  they  had 
parted  company  with  the  infantry  some  time  previously. 
Leaving  them,  I  proceeded  to  the  main  body,  and  in 
passing  a  group  of  cavaliers,  heard  my  name  called  by 
a  voice  I  recognized  as  Roger  Braund's. 

"  Why  are  you  wandering  about  here  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Faith,"  I  laughed,  "  I  might  put  that  very  same 
question  to  you  !  Where  are  Coligny  and  the  troops  ? 
I  did  not  expect  to  meet  with  half  an  army." 

"  Say,  rather,  a  third  ;  we  have  not  a  gun,  nor  even 
a  man  to  carry  a  pike." 

"  But  what  does  it  mean  ?  " 

"  Perhaps  that  I  don't  understand  your  mode  of 
warfare.  We  have  been  marching  and  countermarch- 
ing for  hours,  with  no  other  result  as  yet  than  wearing 
out  our  animals ;  but  I  warrant  the  Prince  has  his 
reasons." 


8o         The  Tragedy  of  Jarnac 

"  If  there  is  a  man  with  brains  in  the  enemy's  council," 
said  another  Enghshman,  "  we  shall  rejoin  our  infantry 
only  in  the  next  world.  We  are  scarcely  fifteen  hundred 
strong,  and  I  heard  this  morning  that  Anjou  has  at 
least  three  thousand." 

"  Two  to  one,"  I  remarked  carelessly,  "  the  Prince 
has  fought  against  even  heavier  odds.    But " 

"  Mount,  mount,  messieurs  ;  Anjou  is  advancing  !  " 

The  scouts  came  galloping  in  with  their  warning ; 
the  cry  was  repeated  on  all  sides  ;  men  running  to  their 
horses  mounted  hurriedly  ;  officers  shouted  commands  ; 
in  an  instant  all  was  activity. 

"  You  showed  little  wisdom  in  stumbling  on  us 
to-day,"  said  Roger.  "  You  would  have  been  better 
off  with  your  own  leader." 

"  At  least  I  make  one  more  !  " 

"  Yes,"  he  replied,  "  and  a  pity  too.  But  come 
along,  you  will  ride  with  us,  and  I  promise  we  will  not 
disgrace  you.  A  fair  field  for  a  charge,  Edward  !  " 
addressing  one  of  his  comrades. 

"  I  would  rather  it  were  a  pitched  battle,"  replied 
the  other ;  "  with  our  numbers  we  can  do  no  more 
than  ride  them  down." 

"  The  Prince  !  The  Prince  !  "  cried  one,  and  pre- 
sently Conde  came  riding  along  our  ranks.  He  had 
opened  his  helmet ;  his  face  was  full  of  high  resolve, 
his  eyes  flashed  fire. 

"  Gentlemen  !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  here  is  the  chance 
for  which  we  have  waited.  Let  us  begin  the  cam- 
paign with  a  victory,  and  we  shall  finish  it  the  sooner." 

We  greeted  his  words  with  a  cheer ;    the  English 


The  Tragedy  of  Jarnac        8i 

shouted  "  Hurrah  !  "  which  sounded  strangely  in  our 
ears,  and  every  one  gripped  his  sword  firmly.  For, 
in  spite  of  cheers,  and  of  brave  looks,  a  desperate  enter- 
prise lay  before  us.  Monseigneur's  troops  were  at 
least  twice  as  numerous  as  ours,  and  his  men  were 
seasoned  soldiers. 

But  Conde  gave  us  little  time  for  reflection.  "For- 
ward !  Forward  !  "  We  rose  in  our  stirrups,  and  with 
a  ringing  cheer  dashed  at  the  foe.  Like  a  wall  of  rock 
they  stood,  and  our  front  rank  went  down  before  them. 
We  withdrew  a  space,  and  once  more  sprang  forward, 
but  with  the  same  result.  The  din  was  terrific  ;  steel 
clashed  against  steel ;  horses  neighed,  men  groaned 
in  agony,  or  shouted  in  triumph. 

And  presently,  above  the  tumult,  we  heard  Conde's 
voice  ringing  high  and  clear,  "  To  me,  gentlemen  ! 
To  me  !  " 

He  was  in  the  thick  of  the  press,  cutting  a  passage 
for  himself,  while  numbers  of  his  bodyguard  toiled 
after  him. 

"  To  the  Prince  !  "  cried  Roger  Braund  in  stentorian 
tones,  "  or  he  is  lost !  " 

We  tore  our  way  like  a  parcel  of  madmen,  striking 
right  and  left  in  blind  fury,  and  not  pausing  to  parry 
a  blow.  But  the  enemy  surged  round  us  like  waves 
in  a  storm.  They  hammered  us  in  front,  in  the  rear, 
on  both  flanks ;  we  fell  apart  into  groups,  each  group 
fighting  strenuously  for  dear  life. 

And  in  the  midst  of  the  fearful  struggle  there  rose  the 
ominous  cry,  "  The  Prince  is  down  !  " 

For  an  instant  both  sides  stood  still,  and  then  Roger 
r,A.  6 


82        The  Tragedy  of  Jarnac 

Braund,  crying,  "  To  the  rescue  !  "  leaped  straight  at 
those  in  front  of  him.  The  noble  band  of  English- 
men followed,  the  battle  flamed  up  afresh  ;  renewed  cries 
of  "  Conde  !  Conde  !  "  arose,  but  we  listened  in  vain 
for  the  reply  of  our  daring  general. 

"  The  Prince  is  down  !  "  ran  mournfully  from  man 
to  man,  and  though  some  fought  on  with  intrepid 
bravery,  the  majority  were  thrown  into  disorder  by  their 
leader's  fall. 

As  for  myself,  I  know  not  how  the  latter  part  of  the 
battle  went.  Half-stunned  by  a  heavy  blow  on  my 
helmet,  I  clung  mechanically  to  my  horse,  who  carried 
me  out  of  the  press.  As  soon  as  my  senses  returned,  I 
drew  rein  and  gazed  across  the  plain.  It  presented  a 
melancholy  sight.  Here  was  a  little  band  of  wearied 
troopers  spurring  hard  from  the  scene  of  conflict ; 
there  a  man,  dismounted  and  wounded,  staggering 
along  painfully,  while  some  lay  in  the  stillness  of  death. 
They  had  struck  their  first  and  last  blow. 

The  battle,  if  battle  it  could  be  called,  was  over ; 
the  victors  were  busy  securing  their  prisoners ;  noth- 
ing more  could  be  done,  and  with  a  heavy  heart  I  turned 
reluctantly  away.  Removing  my  helmet  so  that  the 
fresh  air  might  blow  upon  my  aching  temples,  I  rode 
on,  picking  up  a  companion  here  and  there,  until  at 
last  we  formed  a  troop  some  fifty  strong. 

Hardly  a  word  passed  between  us.  We  were  angry 
and  ashamed ;  we  had  met  with  a  bitter  defeat ;  our 
leader  was  down,  and  no  man  knew  even  if  he  lived. 

"  Where  is  the  Admiral  ?  "  I  asked  at  last  of  the 
horseman  at  my  side ;  "  we  must  find  the  Admiral." 


The  Tragedy  of  Jarnac        83 

"  I  cannot  say,  but  it  is  certain  that  when  the  news 
reaches  him  he  will  retreat "  ;  then  he  relapsed  into 
silence. 

It  was  a  dreary  journey.  We  wandered  on  aimlessly 
and  hopelessly  for  hours,  and  night  had  long  since  fallen 
when,  by  some  lucky  chance,  we  stumbled  upon  our 
infantry.  We  were  not  the  first  fugitives  to  arrive,  and 
the  camp  was  full  of  excitement. 

I  made  my  way  straight  to  the  Admiral's  tent,  and 
was  instantly  admitted.  Several  officers  were  already 
there,  eagerly  discussing  the  news,  and  they  plied  me 
with  anxious  questions.  I  could,  however,  tell  them 
nothing  fresh,  and  could  throw  no  light  on  the  fate  of 
the  Prince. 

In  the  midst  of  the  interview  an  officer  brought  in  a 
wounded  trooper.  He  was  weak  and  faint  from  loss 
of  blood,  and,  gallantly  as  he  had  held  himself  in  the 
fray,  he  hung  his  head  shamefacedly. 

"  You  are  from  Jarnac  ?  "  saidColigny  kindly;  "can 
you  tell  us  what  has  happened  to  your  general  ?  " 

Every  voice  was  hushed  ;  the  silence  became  painful 
as  we  listened  with  straining  ears  for  the  man's  reply. 
Steadying  himself,  he  gave  his  answer,  and  a  deep 
groan  burst  from  the  assembled  officers. 

*'  The  Prince  is  dead,  my  lord,"  he  said  slowly. 

"  Dead  !  "  echoed  our  leader.  "  KiUed  m  the  battle  ?  " 

"  Murdered  in  cold  blood  after  the  battle,  my 
lord  !  " 

"  How  ?  "  cried  Coligny,  and  never  had  I  seen  his  face 
look  so  stern.  "  Think  well,  my  man,  before  speaking. 
This  is  a  serious  statement  to  make." 


84        The  Tragedy  of  Jarnac 

"  But  a  true  one,  my  lord.  I  was  not  a  yard  away 
when  the  deed  was  done." 

"  Tell  us  all  about  it,"  said  the  Admiral,  "  for  if 
this  be  true "  but  here  he  checked  himself. 

"  The  Prince's  horse  fell,  my  lord,  and  he  was  thrown 
heavily.     I  tried  to  reach  him,  but  failed." 

"  'Tis  plain  that  you  made  a  most  gallant  attempt !  " 
remarked  Coligny  in  kindly  tones. 

"  I  was  knocked  down,  my  lord,  and  I  suppose  thought 
to  be  dead  !  The  Prince  lay  a  yard  or  so  away.  He 
had  taken  off  his  helmet,  and  was  talking  to  one  of  the 
enemy's  officers.  I  heard  him  say,  '  D'Argence,  save 
my  life  and  I  will  give  you  a  hundred  thousand  crowns  !  " 

"  And  what  was  the  answer  ?  " 

"  The  officer  promised,  my  lord,  but  just  afterwards 
a  fresh  body  of  soldiers  came  galloping  to  that  part  of 
the  field.  Then  the  Prince  said/  There  is  Monseigneur's 
troop  ;  I  am  a  dead  man  ! '  " 

"  And  what  answered  D'Argence  ?  " 

"  He  said, '  No,  my  lord,  cover  your  face,  and  I  will 
yet  save  you.'  But  he  had  not  the  chance.  One  of 
Monseigneur's  officers " — we  learned  afterwards  that 
it  was  Montesquieu,  the  captain  of  the  Swiss  guard — 
"  shot  the  Prince  in  the  back  of  the  head  !  " 

"  And  killed  him  instantly  ?  " 

"  He  just  had  strength  to  say, '  Now  I  trust  you  are 
content  !  '  "  replied  the  trooper,  "  and  then  he  fell 
forward  dead.  They  wrapped  his  body  in  a  sheet  and 
carried  it  off  the  field,  but  I  do  not  know  where." 

"  There  is  no  possible  chance  of  your  having  been 
mistaken  ?  " 


The  Tragedy  of  Jarnac         85 

"  None,  my  lord." 

The  chaplain,  stepping  forward,  led  the  trooper 
from  the  tent  to  give  him  some  food,  and  to  bind  up 
his  wounds,  while  every  one  began  discussing  the 
mournful  story  he  had  told.  In  the  midst  of  the  talk 
I  slipped  out,  eager  to  assure  Felix  of  my  safety,  and 
to  learn  if  Roger  Braund  had  returned. 

No  one  in  the  camp  thought  of  sleep  or  rest ;  the 
soldiers  had  gathered  together  in  knots,  asking  and 
answering  questions,  while  from  time  to  time  a  single 
horseman,  or  half  a  dozen  in  a  body,  trailed  wearily 
into  the  lines.  I  met  Felix  coming  toward  the  tent, 
and  on  seeing  me  he  ran  forward  hastily. 

"  Is  it  really  you,  Edmond  ?  "  he  cried  ;  "  are  you 
hurt  ?  How  came  you  to  be  in  the  fight  ?  One  of  the 
Englishmen  told  me  you  were  there.  'Tis  a  sorry 
beginning  to  the  campaign,  eh  ?  But,  after  all,  'tis 
but  one  dark  spot  on  the  sun.  Come  to  our  tent  and 
tell  us  what  has  happened.  There  are  a  thousand 
rumours." 

"  Is  Roger  Braund  not  with  his  comrades  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  No  ;  there  are  a  good  many  of  the  English  still  miss- 
ing, but  their  friends  are  not  anxious  ;  they  have  lost 
their  way  perhaps,  and  we  shall  see  them  in  the  morn- 
mg. 

As  nothing  could  be  done,  I  accompanied  Felix  to 
the  tent,  where  a  number  of  our  comrades  speedily 
assembled.  Felix  gave  me  food,  as  I  had  eaten  nothing 
for  hours,  and  then  I  related  my  story. 

"  On  the  plain  of  Jarnac  !  "  exclaimed  one  in  sur- 
prise ;  "  what  was  the  Prince  doing  there  ?  " 


86        The  Tragedy  of  Jarnac 

"  I  cannot  say.  Remember,  I  came  upon  them  by 
mere  chance." 

"  'Twas  stupid  folly ! "  exclaimed  the  speaker. 
"  We  aren't  so  strong  that  we  can  afford  to  divide  our 
forces.  Cond6's  rashness  will  ruin  everything.  One 
would  think  he  was  a  hot-headed  boy  !  " 

"  If  Cond6  was  in  fault,  he  has  paid  dearly  for  his 
mistake,"  I  remarked,  and  was  greeted  by  cries  of 
"  What  do  you  mean  ?  "  "  Is  the  Prince  hurt  ?  " 
"Is  he  a  prisoner  ?  "  "  Speak  out,  Le  Blanc  !  " 

"  The  Prince,  gentlemen,"  I  replied  slowly,  "  is  dead; 
and  if  my  account  be  true,  most  foully  murdered." 

"  Cond^  dead  !  "  cried  one,  "  no,  no  ;  there  must  be 
some  strange  mistake  !  " 

"  I  fear  not,  monsieur  !  "  and,  while  they  listened 
in  breathless  silence,  I  repeated  the  story  which  the 
wounded  trooper  had  brought  from  the  battle-field. 

"  Anjou  shall  have  cause  to  rue  this  day  !  "  said  one, 
speaking  with  deadly  earnestness.  "If  I  meet  him 
on  foot  or  in  the  saddle,  in  victory  or  in  defeat,  I  will 
not  leave  the  ground  till  I  have  plunged  my  sword 
into  his  heart !  " 

"  But  Anjou  was  not  the  murderer  !  " 

"  An  officer  of  his  bodyguard,  you  said.  Do  you 
think  he  acted  against  his  master's  wishes  ?  Pshaw  ! 
I  tell  you,  Monseigneur  is  as  much  the  murderer  as  if 
his  own  fingers  had  pulled  the  trigger  !  "  and  the  mur- 
mur of  applause  from  all  who  heard  showed  how  fully 
they  agreed  with  him. 

When  they  left  the  tent,  to  retail  the  circumstances 
of  the  Prince's  death,  I  was  glad  to  he  down.    I  was 


The  Tragedy  of  Jarnac        87 

still  anxious  concerning  my  English  comrade,  but 
Felix,  who  was  too  excited  to  sleep,  promised  to  bring 
me  any  information  that  he  could  gather.  My  head 
ached  terribly,  but  I  managed  to  sleep,  and  for  an  hour 
or  two  at  least  I  forgot  the  dismal  tragedy  that  had 
occurred. 

The  whole  camp  was  astir  in  the  early  morning,  and 
my  comrade  brought  me  very  welcome  news.  Roger 
had  arrived  during  the  night,  with  about  a  dozen  fellow- 
countrymen,  tired  out  but  unwounded. 

"  I  half  expected  he  was  dead,"  I  said;  "  he  was  in 
the  very  thickest  of  the  melee." 

"  Humph  !  "  said  Felix,  "  I  warrant  he  fought  with 
no  greater  bravery  than  Edmond  Le  Blanc  !  He  is 
a  gallant  fellow  enough,  but  you  need  not  worship  him 
as  a  hero." 

I  looked  at  my  comrade  with  surprise,  and  I  think 
he  felt  rather  ashamed  of  his  ungenerous  speech,  as  he 
continued  :  "  however,  he  is  unhurt,  which  is  the  main 
thing.  It  seems  we  have  lost  quite  a  number  of  brave 
fellows  besides  Cond6  at  Jarnac." 

"  I  suppose  the  last  of  the  stragglers  are  in  ?  " 
"  Yes,    and   we    strike    camp    almost    immediately. 
Anjou  is  very  kind  to  give  us  breathing  time.    Accord- 
ing to  our  scouts,  he  is  actually  going  to  lay  siege  ta 
Cognac." 

"  He  will  meet  with  a  warm  reception  1  " 
"  If  the  citizens  can  hold  him  only  for  a  few  weeks," 
said  Felix,  "  all  will  go  well.     We  are  to  be  joined  by 
strong    reinforcements.    The    sun    will    shine    again, 
Edmond." 


88        The  Tragedy  ofjarnac 

Making  my  way  through  the  camp  after  breakfast 
I  came  across  Roger,  who  had  just  risen  from  a  brief 
sleep. 

"  I  did  not  come  to  your  tent  last  night,"  he  said; 
"  there  was  no  need  to  disturb  you.  You  are  not  much 
hurt  ?  " 

"  No,  but  rather  ashamed  !    We  have  begun  badly.' 

"  And  shall  therefore  make  a  better  ending,"  said  he 
brightly.  "  Cheer  up,  Edmond,  there  is  no  disgrace  in 
being  beaten  by  twice  our  number.  Jarnac  is  not 
the  only  field  of  battle  in  France." 


CHAPTER    IX 
A  Glorious  Victory 

The  steady  courage  and  resolute  will  of  our  great  leader 
raised  the  spirits  of  every  soldier  under  his  command  ; 
the  disaster  at  Jarnac  became  more  and  more  a  dream  ; 
the  retreat  to  Niort  was  conducted  without  the  least 
disorder  or  confusion.  Every  one  trusted  Coligny,  and 
felt  that  under  his  rule  all  would  go  well. 

And,  as  far  as  human  skill  and  foresight  could  prevail, 
the  Admiral  deserved  our  confidence.  All  through  the 
day,  and  far  into  the  night,  he  toiled,  and  never  grew 
weary  ;  at  one  time  inspecting  his  troops,  at  another 
strengthening  his  defences  ;  now  endeavouring  to  form 
some  useful  alliance,  again  writing  cheerful  letters  and 
putting  heart  into  the  more  timid  of  our  friends. 

We  had  another  leader,  too,  who,  though  she  did  not 
lead  us  into  battle  was  worth  many  a  troop  of  horse  to 
the  Cause.  I  shall  never  forget  the  day  when  Joan  of 
Albret,  the  great-hearted  Queen  of  Navarre,  came  rid- 
ing into  our  camp  at  Niort,  bringing  her  son,  Henry  of 
Beam,  and  her  nephew  Henry,  the  son  of  the  murdered 
Cond^.  True  and  steadfast  in  the  hour  of  our  defeat — 
more  steadfast  even  than  some  of  those  who  would  ride 
fearlessly  in  the  wildest  charge — she  came  to  prove  her 
unswerving  loyalty. 


go  A  Glorious  Victory 

"  I  offer  you  my  son,"  said  this  noble  lady — may 
her  name  ever  be  held  in  reverence — "  who  burns  with 
a  bold  ardour  to  avenge  the  death  of  the  Prince  we  all 
regret.  Behold  also  Conde's  son,  now  become  my  own 
child.  He  succeeds  to  his  father's  name  and  glory. 
Heaven  grant  that  they  may  both  show  themselves 
worthy  of  their  ancestors  !  " 

While  she  spoke,  not  another  sound  broke  the  silence 
in  all  that  vast  assembly ;  but  when  the  echo  of  the 
last  word  had  died  away,  such  a  shout  arose  that  few 
have  ever  heard  its  like.  The  whole  army  cheered  and 
cheered  again  with  one  voice ;  hundreds  of  swords 
flashed  in  the  air ;  men  went  wild  with  enthusiasm  as 
they  cried,  "  Long  live  Joan  of  Albret !  long  live  the 
Queen  of  Navarre  !  " 

When  at  length  silence  was  restored  there  rode  to 
the  front  that  gallant  youth,  Henry  of  Beam,  whose 
winning  manners  had  already  charmed  us  at  Rochelle. 
I  have  seen  him  since  with  all  the  world  at  his  feet, 
and  crowned  with  victory  ;  but  after  his  most  glorious 
triumph  he  did  not  look  more  noble  than  on  that  memor- 
able day  at  Niort.  He  was,  as  I  have  said,  a  splendid 
horseman,  and  he  managed  his  fiery  charger  with 
exquisite  grace  and  ease.  His  eyes,  usually  so  sweet, 
were  bright  and  burning ;  the  hot  blood  reddened  his 
clear  brown  skin. 

"  Soldiers  !  "  he  exclaimed — and  I  would  you  could 
have  heard  the  music  of  his  voice — "  your  cause  is 
mine.  I  swear  to  defend  our  religion,  and  to  persevere 
until  death  or  victory  has  restored  us  the  liberty  for 
which  we  fight." 


A  Glorious  Victory  91 

Once  again  the  thundering  cheers  pealed  forth,  and 
had  Monseigneur  but  met  us  that  day,  I  warrant  he 
would  not  have  carried  a  hundred  men  with  him  from 
the  field. 

"  Your  Henry  of  Beam  is  a  gallant  youngster, 
Edmond,"  remarked  Roger  Braund  that  evening ; 
"  I  would  he  had  been  with  us  at  Jarnac  !  " 

"  That  might  have  prevented  his  being  here  now  !  " 

"  True !  On  the  other  hand,  his  presence  might 
have  saved  the  day.  However,  he  will  have  an  oppor- 
tunity of  showing  his  mettle.     Do  we  move  soon  ?  " 

"  We  are  waiting  for  a  body  of  German  foot -soldiers, 
and  for  the  troops  from  Languedoc.  Directly  they 
arrive,  I  believe  we  break  camp." 

"  The  sooner  the  better,"  said  he ;  "  we  shall  rust 
out  by  staying  here." 

Most  of  the  troops,  indeed,  had  begun  to  weary  of 
inaction,  and  when,  on  the  arrival  of  our  reinforcements, 
Coligny  determined  to  offer  battle  once  more,  the  whole 
camp  received  the  news  with  satisfaction.  A  great 
grief  had  befallen  our  leader.  His  brother,  the  kindly 
genial  Sieur  Andelot,  whom  all  men  loved,  had  broken 
down  under  the  terrible  strain,  and  died  at  Saintes. 
It  was  a  terrible  blow,  but  the  Admiral  sternly  repressed 
his  sorrow,  counting  no  sacrifice  too  great  for  the  suc- 
cess of  the  Cause. 

We  marched  out  from  the  camp  at  Niort,  twenty- 
five  thousand  strong,  all  in  good  spirits,  and  all  placing 
the  most  implicit  trust  in  our  gallant  leader.  The  dead 
Condi's  troops  were  especially  eager  for  the  fray,  and 
as  they  mounted  and  rode  off,  the  words  "  Rejnember 


92  A  Glorious  Victory 

Jarnac  !  "  passed  from  man  to  man.  It  was  a  watch- 
word that  boded  ill  for  their  opponents. 

From  day  to  day  our  scouts  brought  in  word  of  the 
royal  forces.  They  outnumbered  us  by  several  thou- 
sands, but  that  did  not  damp  our  ardour  ;  in  spite  of 
Jarnac,  we  felt  that  we  were  marching  to  victory. 

We  had  advanced  within  two  days'  distance  of  the 
city  of  Limoges,  when  our  scouts  galloped  in  with  the 
information  that  they  had  encountered  a  strong  force 
of  hostile  cavalry.  Our  preparations  for  battle  were 
all  made,  so  Coligny  continued  his  march,  the  horse- 
men retiring  before  us,  and  making  no  effort  to  attack. 

We  passed  an  anxious  night  :  the  sentries  were 
doubled,  the  outposts  strengthened,  and  the  men  slept 
with  their  weapons  in  their  hands,  ready  to  spring  up 
at  the  first  note  of  warning.  For  the  Admiral's  per- 
sonal attendants  there  was  no  sleep  whatever.  We 
passed  our  time  in  visiting  the  outposts,  and  in  seeing 
that  everything  was  secure.  Only  after  day  broke 
were  we  able  to  snatch  an  hour  or  two's  rest. 

"  Faith,"  laughed  Felix,  as  the  march  was  resumed, 
"  this  is  fine  preparation  for  a  battle  !  Edmond,  rub 
the  dust  from  your  eyes ;  you  look  sleepy  enough  to 
fall  from  your  saddle  !  " 

"  And  all  our  labour  was  wasted !  "  I  grumbled. 
"  Those  fellows  just  went  comfortably  to  sleep,  laugh- 
ing at  us  for  our  pains." 

"  Never  mind !  "  said  my  comrade  merrily, "  it  may  be 
our  turn  to  laugh  next.  And,  after  all,  I  would  rather 
laugh  last." 

All  that  day  we  marched  through  a  woody,  irregular 


A  Glorious  Victory  93 

district,  the  horsemen  watching  our  movements,  but 
retiring  steadily  at  our  approach,  as  if  wishing  to  lure 
us  into  some  cunning  trap.  But  Coligny  was  not  to 
be  tempted ;  he  kept  his  troops  well  in  hand,  and  in 
the  evening  we  camped  by  the  side  of  a  small  stream 
with  a  marsh  in  our  front. 

"  We  have  caught  him,"  cried  Felix,  in  a  tone  of 
delight. 

"  Or  he  has  caught  us  !  "  said  I  dubiously.  "  Anjou 
has  some  skilful  soldier  at  his  elbow  who  chose  that 
position." 

On  the  other  side  of  the  marsh  rose  a  rugged  hill, 
and  at  the  summit  the  royalist  general  had  pitched 
his  camp.  Rude  breastworks,  from  which  the  muzzles 
of  several  guns  peeped  out,  had  been  erected,  and 
altogether  it  looked  as  if  Monseigneur  had  provided 
us  with  a  hard  nut  to  crack. 

Coligny  rode  out  across  the  marsh  to  examine  the 
enemy's  position  more  clearly,  and  I  fancied  there  was 
a  shade  of  anxiety  on  his  usually  serene  face.  It  was 
a  heavy  responsibility  he  had  to  bear,  for,  should  his 
troops  be  defeated,  the  Huguenot  Cause  was  lost. 
There  was  no  other  army  to  replace  the  one  under  his 
command. 

"  The  longer  you  look  at  it  the  less  you'll  like  it," 
said  Roger  Braund  cheerfully — for  our  English  com- 
rade often  came  over  for  a  chat  when  we  had  pitched 
camp — "  Monseigneur  has  fenced  himself  in  marvel- 
lously well." 

"  The  more  credit  in  digging  him  out !  "  laughed 
Felix.     "  Don't  make  Edmond  more  doleful ;    he   is 


94  A  Glorious  Victory- 

half  afraid  now  of  meeting  with  a  second  Jarnac.  De 
Pilles  " — the  commander  of  our  artillery — "  will  soon 
batter  down  those  walls,  and  a  sharp  rush  wiU  carry 
the  hiU." 

"  'Tis  a  simple  matter  winning  a  battle — in  our 
minds,"  laughed  Roger,  "  but  not  always  so  easy  in 
practice.  Monseigneur's  troops  fought  well  enough  at 
Jarnac." 

"  Ah,"  said  Felix  merrily,  "  they  will  fight  well  here, 
but  we  shall  fight  better  !  " 

"  Is  an  assault  decided  on  ?  " 

"  No  one  knows,"  I  replied  ;  "  there  is  to  be  a  meet- 
ing of  the  Council  presently.  But  I  take  it  that  we 
must  attack.  Monseigneur  has  the  advantage  of  us. 
He  can  obtain  provisions  ;    we  can't." 

"  And  we  aren't  likely  to  retreat ! "  exclaimed  Felix. 

"  In  that  case  we  must  go  forward ;  but  we  shall 
hear  the  decision  in  an  hour  or  two." 

The  Coimcil  sat  for  a  considerable  time,  while  we  of 
the  Admiral's  household  discussed  the  situation  among 
ourselves.  There  were  various  opinions  given,  the 
older  men  declaring  Monseigneur  was  too  strongly 
posted  to  be  dislodged,  the  younger  and  more  hot- 
headed making  light  of  the  danger. 

At  length  the  Council  broke  up,  and,  though  nothing 
was  actually  disclosed,  we  soon  became  aware  that 
Coligny  had  resolved  on  risking  a  battle. 

"  Bravo  !  "  said  Felix,  as  we  went  to  our  tent,  "  'twill 
be  a  pity  if  Roche  Abeille  does  not  make  up  for  Jarnac  !  " 

The  bugle-call  roused  us  at  daybreak,  and  after  a 
hasty  breakfast    we  prepared  for  the  fray.     It  was  a 


A  Glorious  Victory  95 

glorious  summer  morning,  with  only  a  few  fleecy  clouds 
dotting  the  blue  sky.  The  country  was  bathed  in 
sunlight,  and  the  green,  leafy  foliage  of  the  numerous 
trees  on  our  left  made  a  delightful  picture.  The  waters 
of  the  little  stream  in  our  rear  danced  and  sparkled, 
and  the  chorus  of  the  birds  made  wondrous  music. 
Before  long  every  feathered  creature  was  flying  hastily 
away  in  amazement  and  affright. 

The  army  was  drawn  up  in  battle  array,  and  the 
noble  Coligny,  serene  and  confident,  rode  along  the 
lines. 

"  Soldiers ! "  he  exclaimed, "  the  time  has  come.  The 
enemy  are  before  us.  We  must  beat  them  or  die. 
Soldiers,  if  we  lose  this  battle,  the  sacred  Cause  to 
which  we  have  pledged  our  lives  is  overthrown.  Our 
religion  will  be  destroyed,  our  wives  and  little  ones 
slain,  we  ourselves  shall  go  to  the  prison,  the  block, 
or  the  stake.  Soldiers,  the  safety  of  the  Cause  is  en- 
trusted to  your  arms  !  I  know  you  are  worthy  of  the 
honour." 

A  great  cheer  greeted  these  stirring  words,  a  cheer 
that,  echoing  far  and  wide,  sounded  like  a  haughty 
challenge  of  defiance  to  the  foe. 

I  had  little  to  do  but  to  watch  the  opening  of 
the  battle,  and  my  heart  beat  fast  as  De  Pilles,  a 
rough  and  fearless  fighter,  went  forward  with  his  artil- 
lery.   Almost  instantly  the  excitement  became  tense. 

"He  is  into  the  marsh  !  "  cried  Felix.  "  His  guns 
are  stuck  fast !  He  cannot  get  them  out !  Ah,  see, 
Monseigneur  is  launching  his  horsemen  at  them  !  " 

Down  the  hill  they  came  in  beautiful  order,  a  troop 


96  A  Glorious  Victory 

of  Italian  cavalry,  their  helmets  gleaming,  their  swords 
flashing  in  the  sunlight. 

"  De  Pilles  is  lost !  "  muttered  a  man  behind  me. 

"  No,  no  !  "  cried  Felix  ;  "he  will  beat  them  off. 
See,  he  is  forming  up  his  men.  Ah,  bravo  !  bravo  ! 
Look,  there  isn't  a  coward  among  them !  " 

With  a  rush,  the  Italians  swept  down  on  the  guns. 
They  were  brave  men  and  seasoned  fighters,  but  they 
came  to  grief  that  day.  Though  their  animals  floun- 
dered in  the  soft  soil  they  struggled  on  valiantly ;  they 
reached  the  guns,  they  wheeled  and  circled,  they  struck 
fierce  blows  with  their  glittering  blades,  but,  wherever 
they  rode,  there  they  found  a  grim  and  sturdy  opponent. 

Back  they  went  for  a  breathing-space,  and  then,  with 
a  magnificent  charge,  once  more  flung  themselves  on 
the  handful  of  gunners.  My  heart  stood  still  when, 
for  a  moment,  our  gallant  few  disappeared  as  if  over- 
whelmed by  the  waves  of  a  human  sea. 

A  triumphant  shout  from  Felix  roused  me.  The 
waves  had  rolled  back,  broken  and  shattered,  and  we 
raised  cheer  after  cheer  as  the  baffled  horsemen  slowly 
climbed  the  hill.  De  Pilles  had  saved  his  guns,  and 
in  Monseigneur's  Italian  troop  there  were  more  than  a 
score  of  empty  saddles.  It  was  a  good  beginning  for 
us. 

The  battle  now  became  general.  The  guns,  dragged 
from  the  marsh  on  to  firm  ground,  opened  fire  against 
the  breastworks,  the  infantry  marched  steadily  for- 
ward, two  troops  of  horse  worked  round  to  the 
right,  seeking  a  favourable  place  for  attack. 

But  our  progress  was  slow.     Monseigneur's  troops, 


A  Glorious  Victory  97 

fighting  with  rare  vigour  and  courage,  forced  us  back 
again  and  again ;  their  position  seemed  impregnable, 
and  our  men  fell  fast.  Unless  we  could  break  through 
somewhere  the  battle  was  lost. 

By  extreme  good  fortune,  I  was  close  behind  the 
Admiral  when  he  turned  his  head,  seeking  a  messenger. 

"  Le  Blanc,"  he  cried,  courteous  as  ever,  even  in  the 
midst  of  the  terrible  strife,  "  ride  to  De  Courcy  Lamont, 
and  tell  him  to  charge  home.  Tell  him  that  unless 
he  can  make  a  gap  for  us,  the  day  is  lost.  And  say 
that  the  Admiral  trusts  him." 

Bowing  low,  I  spurred  my  horse  sharply,  and  darted 
off.  Around  me  rose  the  din  of  battle — the  thun- 
der of  the  guns,  the  savage  cries  of  angry  men  closely 
locked  in  deadlycombat.  Already  Monseigneur's  troops 
were  shouting  "  Victory  !  "  and  I  had  visions  of  an 
even  more  fearful  disaster  than  at  Jarnac. 

De  Courcy  Lamont  listened  to  my  message  with  a 
proud  smile  on  his  face.  His  troopers  were  faint  and 
weary ;  many  were  more  or  less  seriously  wounded ; 
they  had  lost  several  of  their  comrades  ;  but  Coligny's 
words  acted  like  magic. 

"  The  Admiral  trusts  to  us ! "  said  their  leader. 
"  Shall  we  disappoint  him  ?  " 

"  No  !  no  !  "  they  cried ;  "we  wUl  die  for  the 
Admiral !     Let  us  charge  !  " 

"  I  thank  you,  gentlemen,"  said  De  Courcy  simply. 

It  was  a  desperate  enterprise,  and  would  never  have 
been  attempted  but  for  the  love  these  gallant  men  bore 
to  our  great  chief.  For  his  sake  they  were  going  to 
throw  themselves  upon  death. 

F.A.  7 


9  8  A  Glorious  Victory 

"  Charge  !  "  Half  mad  with  excitement,  I  took  my 
place  with  them,  behind  De  Courcy,  who  rode  several 
lengths  in  advance.  From  a  trot  to  a  canter,  from  a 
canter  to  a  gallop,  and  then  with  one  mighty  rush  we 
swept  down  on  the  foe.  A  body  of  horse  dashed  across 
our  path ;  we  brushed  them  aside  like  a  handful  of 
chaff,  and  never  slackened  pace. 

"  The  Admiral !  The  Admiral !  For  the  Cause  ! 
Remember  Jamac ! "  we  shouted  hoarsely,  as  our 
straining  animals  flew  over  the  intervening  space. 

Faster  and  faster  grew  the  mad  gallop,  until,  like  a 
living  whirlwind,  we  flung  ourselves  on  a  line  of  bristling 
pikes. 

"  For  the  Admiral !  "  cried  our  leader  joyously. 

"  Anjou  !  Anjou  !  "  came  back  the  defiant  answer, 
and  then  we  were  in  the  midst  of  them.  We  had  made 
a  gap,  but  at  terrible  expense. 

Hotter  and  hotter  waxed  the  strife  ;  swords  flashed, 
pikes  ran  red,  shouts  of  triumph  mingled  with  groans 
of  despair ;  men  went  down  and  were  trampled 
underfoot  in  the  horrible  press  ;  we  were  tossed  and 
buffeted  from  side  to  side,  but  we  fought  on  with  savage 
desperation,  and  the  cry,  "  For  the  Admiral !  "  still 
rose  in  triumph.  Truly  it  could  not  be  said  that  we 
grudged  our  lives  that  day  ! 

And  presently  an  answering  cry  of  "  For  the  Admiral !  " 
sounded  on  our  ears.  Our  charge  had  not  been  made 
in  vain !  Back  went  the  enemy,  slowly  and  stub- 
bornly at  first,  fighting  every  inch  of  the  ground,  but 
still  retreating. 

"  They  give  way  !  "  cried  De  Courcy,  who  was  bare- 


A  Glorious  Victory  99 

headed  and  wounded,  "  they  give  way !    Charge,  my 
brave  lads  !  " 

The  words  decided  the  fortunes  of  the  day.  With 
a  rush  and  a  roar  we  swept  forward,  and  Anjou's  stub- 
bom  troops  scattered  in  flight.  Forward  we  went  in 
hot  pursuit,  but  suddenly  everything  became  dark 
to  me  ;  the  stricken  field  with  its  mob  of  flying  men 
vanished  from  sight,  and  I  sank  forward  helplessly 
across  my  horse's  neck. 


CHAPTER   X 

I  Rejoin  the   Advance 

"  Do  you  know  me,  monsieur  ?    It  is  I — Jacques." 

"  Jacques  ?  "  I  repeated  dreamily.  "  Where  are 
we  ?  What  are  we  doing  here  ?  My  head  aches ;  I 
feel  stiff  all  over.  Where  is  the  letter  ?  Ah,  I  remem- 
ber now.    We  won  the  battle,  Jacques  ? " 

"  Yes,  monsieur.  It  was  a  great  victory.  Mon- 
seigneur's  troops  were  completely  routed." 

I  closed  my  eyes  and  lay  thinking.  By  degrees  it 
all  came  back  to  me ;  the  Admiral's  message,  De 
Courcy's  wild  charge,  the  terrible  conflict,  the  flight 
of  the  royalists,  and  then !  I  had  a  strange  half- 
consciousness  of  having  been  raised  from  the  ground 
and  carried  some  distance,  but  of  what  had  really 
happened  I  had  no  definite  knowledge. 

But  how  came  Jacques  into  the  picture  ?  Surely 
he  was  not  at  Roche  Abeille  !  I  opened  my  eyes  and 
saw  him  bending  over  me  and  looking  eagerly  into  my 
face. 

"  Jacques,"  I  said,  "  what  are  you  doing  here  ?  " 
"  Nursing  you,  monsieur,"  he  answered  cheerfully. 
"  I  got  to  Rochelle  just  after  you  had  started,  and 
followed  the  army ;    but  the  battle  was  over  when  I 
reached  Roche.  Abeille." 

100 


I  Rejoin  the  Advance       loi 

*'  How  did  you  find  me  ?  " 

"  I  went  to  the  Admiral's  gentlemen.  They  said 
you  were  killed,  and  that  your  friend  Monsieur  Bellievre 
was  distracted,  and  there  was  another  gentleman,  an 
Englishman,  who  looked  very  unhappy.  But  we 
fetched  a  surgeon,  who  patched  you  up,  and  we  carried 
you  here." 

"  Where,  Jacques  ?  " 

"  The  city  of  Limoges,  monsieur.  You  are  lodged 
at  a  comfortable  inn,  and  now  you  have  talked  enough." 

"  One  more  question,  my  good  Jacques ;  how  long 
have  I  been  here  ?  " 

"  Three  days,  monsieur.  Now  I  will  get  you  some 
nourishing  food,  and  afterwards  you  must  sleep." 

The  next  morning,  finding  I  was  much  stronger, 
Jacques  was  willing  to  answer  further  questions.  Felix 
had  come  through  the  fray  unscathed,  and  Roger  Braund 
was  only  slightly  wounded.  Anjou,  he  said,  had  been 
thoroughly  defeated,  and  there  was  already  talk  of 
the  end  of  the  war. 

"  And  where  are  the  troops  now  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  They  marched  in  the  direction  of  Poictiers.  It 
is  rumoured  that  the  Admiral  intends  to  besiege  the 
town." 

"  It  may  be  so,"  I  observed  doubtfully,  "  but  it  is 
hardly  likely.  That  is  the  mistake  Monseigneiu:  made 
after  Jarnac." 

"  Well,"  replied  Jacques  with  a  smile,  "  it  cannot 
interest  monsieur  very  much  for  the  next  three  or  four 
weeks." 

He  had  quite  recovered  from  his  own  wounds,  and 


I02       I  Rejoin  the  Advance 

was  full  of  praise  of  the  Count  St.  Cjo",  who  had  treated 
him  with  the  greatest  kindness. 

"  The  count  is  a  noble  gentleman,"  he  remarked, 
"  and  full  of  zeal  for  the  Cause.  He  is  bringing  his 
retainers  to  aid  the  Admiral." 

"He  is  an  old  man,  too,"  I  said  musingly. 

"  But  with  all  the  fire  of  a  boy,  monsieur." 

"  Have  you  heard  that  a  price  has  been  set  on  my 
father's  head  ?  "  I  asked  presently. 

"  Yes,"  and  the  worthy  fellow's  face  clouded  over 
with  passion,  "  that  is  Etienne  Cordel's  handiwork." 

"  But  we  have  done  the  man  no  harm  !  " 

"  He  hates  your  father,  monsieur ;  and,  besides,  Le 
Blanc  is  a  fine  property.  Monseigneur  and  the  ItaUan 
woman  are  deeply  in  his  debt,  and  that  would  be  a 
simple  mode  of  payment.  'Tis  easy  to  give  away  what 
does  not  belong  to  one.  Many  Huguenot  estates  have 
changed  hands  in  that  way." 

I  thought  Jacques  was  exaggerating  the  case,  but 
not  caring  to  argue  the  matter  I  said  no  more,  and 
turning  round  dropped  off  into  a  refreshing  sleep. 

For  a  fortnight  longer  I  lay  in  bed,  and  then  the 
surgeon,  who  came  every  day,  allowed  me  to  get  up. 
My  head  was  still  dizzy,  and  my  legs  tottered  under  me, 
but,  leaning  on  Jacques'  arm,  I  walked  slowly  up  and 
down  the  room.  The  next  morning,  still  attended  by 
my  faithful  servant,  I  went  downstairs  and  out  into 
the  street,  and  from  that  day  I  fast  began  to  recover 
my  strength. 

There  was  not  much  news  of  the  war,  beyond  the 
fact  that  the  Huguenots  were  besieging  Poictiers,  a  piece 


I  Rejoin  the  Advance     103 

of  information  that  I  was  sorry  to  hear,  since  it  seemed 
to  me  they  would  fritter  away  their  strength  for  nothing. 
The  Admiral,  however,  doubtless  possessed  good  reasons 
for  his  actions,  and  in  any  case  it  was  not  for  me  to 
question  his  wisdom. 

I  was  able  now  to  walk  without  assistance,  and  even 
to  sit  in  the  saddle,  though  not  very  firmly,  and  I  felt 
eager  to  rejoin  my  comrades.  But  to  this  neither 
Jacques  nor  the  surgeon  would  consent,  so  I  continued  to 
while  away  the  time  in  the  quaint  old  town  as  patiently 
as  possible.  But,  as  the  weeks  passed  and  my  strength 
returned  more  fully,  life  in  Limoges  became  more 
and  more  insupportable,  and  I  finally  resolved  to  travel 
by  easy  stages  to  Poictiers. 

The  news  we  gathered  on  the  journey  was  by  no 
means  reassuring.  Coligny  had  failed  to  capture  the 
town  ;  he  had  lost  several  thousand  good  troops,  and 
had  raised  the  siege.  Equally  discomforting  was  the 
information  that  Anjou  was  in  the  field  again  with  a 
strong  and  well-equipped  army. 

"  We  seem  to  have  gained  little  by  our  victory,"  I 
said  disconsolately. 

"  We  shall  do  better  after  our  next  one,"  said  Jacques 
cheerily.     "  We  learn  by  our  mistakes,  monsieur." 

The  rival  armies  had  apparently  vanished.  From 
time  to  time  we  obtained  news  of  Coligny,  but  it  was 
very  vague,  and  left  us  little  the  wiser.  One  day  he 
was  said  to  be  at  Moncontour,  another  at  Loudun  ; 
on  a  third  we  were  told  he  was  retreating  pell-mell  to 
La  Rochelle,  with  Anjou  hot  on  his  heels. 

Within  a  few  hours'  ride  of  Loudun  we  put  up  for 


I04      I  Rejoin  the  Advance 

the  night  at  a  small  inn.  Jacques  attended  to  the 
animals — one  of  us  generally  saw  them  properly  fed 
— while  I  gave  instructions  to  the  landlord  concern- 
ing our  supper.  He  was  an  old  man,  almost  as  old 
as  Pierre,  and  he  had  such  a  peculiar  trick  of  jerking 
his  head  in  answer  to  my  remarks  that  I  almost  feared 
it  would  come  right  off. 

"  I  am  sorry,  monsieur,  I  will  do  my  best ;  but  the 
larder  is  empty.  I  will  kill  a  fowl ;  there  is  one  left ; 
but  monsieur  will  be  under  the  disagreeable  necessity 
of  waiting." 

"  We  are  sharp  set,"  I  said.  "  Is  there  no  cold  meat 
in  the  house  ?  " 

"  Monsieur,  the  troopers  have  devoured  everything." 

"  Whose  troopers  ?  "  I  asked  sharply. 

"  Whose  but  Monseigneur's  !  "  replied  the  old  man  ; 
"  but  they  did  not  remain  long  ;  they  were  busy  hunt- 
ing down  the  heretics." 

After  asking  a  few  more  questions,  I  sent  him  away 
to  catch  and  cook  our  supper,  and  then  discussed  his 
information  with  Jacques.  From  the  old  man's  story 
we  gathered  that  the  Duke  of  Montpensier  was  march- 
ing south  with  a  division  of  the  royal  army  in  pursuit 
of  our  comrades. 

"  Between  Montpensier  and  Anjou  we  are  in  an 
awkward  situation,"  I  said.  "  We  have  overshot  the 
mark." 

"  That  is  true,  monsieur ;  we  must  turn  back,  if 
we  wish  to  join  the  Admiral ;  but  our  animals  are  tired." 

"  We  will  give  them  a  few  hours'  rest,  and  start 
early  in  the  morning." 


I  Rejoin  the  Advance      105 

"  If  the  supper  is  cooked  by  then  !  "  answered  Jacques 
sHly. 

There  seemed  to  be  some  little  doubt  about  that, 
but  finally  our  host,  who  had  been  scouring  the  village, 
returned  in  triumph  with  provisions  for  an  ample  meal. 

Awake  soon  after  dawn,  we  fed  the  animals,  broke 
our  own  fast,  and,  having  settled  the  score,  started  off 
on  the  highroad  to  Poictiers. 

It  was,  by  the  position  of  the  sim,  about  nine  o'clock 
in  the  morning  when  we  perceived  a  horseman  approach- 
ing us.  He  appeared  in  a  desperate  hurry,  and  was 
spurring  his  horse  vigorously. 

"  Jacques  !  "  I  exclaimed,  "  this  is  a  soldier  of  some 
sort.  Will  he  be  coming  from  Montpensier,  think 
you  ?  " 

"  Likely  enough,  monsieur." 

"  If  so,  he  may  carry  important  news,  and  his  informa- 
tion may  be  of  service  to  the  Admiral.  It  should  be 
easy  for  us  to  obtain  it." 

"  True,  monsieur  ;   he  will  never  dream  of  danger." 

"  But  we  must  not  hurt  him,  Jacques  ;  mind  that." 

"  Nothing  more  than  a  tap  on  the  head,"  said  Jacques, 
"  if  he  should  prove  obstinate." 

The  rider  came  along  at  a  swinging  pace.  He  was 
a  young  fellow,  richly  dressed,  and  of  a  handsome 
appearance. 

"  Good  news,  monsieur ! "  I  cried,  riding  toward 
him.     "  Do  you  carry  good  news  ?  " 

It  was  evident  that  he  had  not  the  slightest  idea  of 
meeting  with  an  enemy  in  the  rear  of  Montpensier's 
troops.    He  drew  rein,  saying,  "  Are  you  from  Mon- 


io6       I  Rejoin  the  Advance 

seigneur  ?  I  am  bearing  him  welcome  information. 
Coligny  is  retreating,  we  fell  on  his  rear  just  now  and 
drove  it  in.  Ah,  ah,  'tis  a  rich  joke  !  He  thinks  Mon- 
seigneur  himself  is  here  with  the  whole  army." 

"  While  'tis  only  Montpensier  with  a  division  !  "  I 
said,  laughing.     "  Where  shall  we  find  the  Duke  ?  " 

"  An  hour's  ride,  not  more  ;  but  I  must  be  going. 
Monseigneur  waits  to  make  his  plans." 

The  next  instant  Jacques  had  clutched  his  bridle 
rein,  while  the  young  feUow  was  gazing  in  blank  aston- 
ishment along  the  barrel  of  my  pistol. 

"  'Tis  a  disagreeable  necessity,  monsieur,"  I  remarked, 
speaking  very  harshly,  "  but  you  are  our  prisoner. 
Tie  the  horses'  reins  together,  Jacques,  and  remove 
this  gentleman's  weapons.  Do  not  stir,  monsieur,  it 
would  be  foolish.  A  cry  or  a  movement  will  cost  your 
life.  We  must  have  that  despatch  which  you  are  carry- 
ing to  Monseigneur." 

"  Who  are  you  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  We  belong  to  the  Huguenot  army,  and  have  met 
you  by  a  stroke  of  good  fortune.  And  now  the  docu- 
ment, monsieur !  Will  you  surrender  it  ?  Or  will 
you  compel  us  to  search  you  ?  That  is  an  undignified 
proceeding,  and  will  not  help  you  at  all." 

"  No,"  he  agreed  gloomily ;  "  I  am  in  your  power. 
But  this  is  a  sorry  trick  ;  I  would  rather  you  had  forced 
the  paper  from  me  at  the  sword's  point.  It  would 
have  been  more  creditable  to  your  honour." 

"  That  may  be  so,  but  meanwhile  we  await  the 
paper." 

Finding  himself  helpless,  he  handed  me  the  docu- 


I  Rejoin  the  Advance        107 

ment  with  the  best  grace  he  could  muster,  and  I  immedi- 
ately placed  it  inside  my  doublet. 

"  Now,"  I  exclaimed  cheerfully, "  we  are  in  a  hurry 
to  reach  our  comrades,  but  we  have  no  wish  to  ride 
into  the  midst  of  the  Duke's  troops.  In  order  to  avoid 
that  calamity,  we  will  make  you  our  guide ;  but 
pray  be  careful,  because  in  the  event  of  a  mistake  you 
will  be  the  first  victim.  My  servant  is  an  old  soldier, 
while  I  have  had  some  practice  with  the  pistol.  But 
this  is  a  disagreeable  subject ;    let  us  dismiss  it." 

"With  all  my  heart,"  said  he, '  laughing.  "And 
now  what  would  you  have  me  do  ?  " 

"  Put  us  on  the  track  of  our  comrades,  and  prevent 
us  from  falling  into  the  Duke's  hands." 

"  That  is,"  said  he,  "  to  return  good  for  evil.  Well, 
'tis  something  of  a  novelty  for  me." 

"  You  should  practise  it  more  frequently,"  I  laughed, 
and  with  that  we  rode  on,  our  prisoner  being  in  the 
middle. 

I  hardly  thought  he  would  venture  his  life  by  mis- 
leading us  of  set  purpose,  yet  for  all  that  I  rode  cau- 
tiously, keeping  my  eyes  open  for  any  sign  of  the 
enemy.  But  either  by  good  luck  or  our  prisoner's  skilful 
guidance — and  it  matters  little  which — we  entirely 
avoided  the  Royalist  army,  and  came  up  with  our  own 
troops  just  as  they  had  halted  for  a  short  rest. 

Being  instantly  challenged,  I  gave  my  name  to  the 
officer,  and  asked  where  the  Admiral  was  to  be  found. 

"  I  will  take  you  to  him,"  said  he,  and  he  led  us 
through   the   camp,  walking  by  the  horse's  side. 

Coligny  was  eating  his  frugal  meal,  but  he  glanced 


io8       I  Rejoin  the  Advance 

up  at  our  approach,  and  the  officer  said,  "  Edmond 
Le  Blanc,  general,  who  claims  to  belong  to  your  house- 
hold." 

*'  Le  Blanc ! "  echoed  the  Admiral,  knitting  his 
brows — he  had  doubtless  forgotten  me — "  ah,  of  course  ; 
you  have  been  absent  from  duty  a  long  time." 

"  I  had  the  misfortune  to  be  left  behind  at  Roche 
Abeille,  my  lord." 

"  Ah,  I  remember.  You  are  Bellievre's  comrade, 
and  you  carried  my  message  to  De  Courcy.  So  you 
have  recovered  ?  " 

"  Yes,  my  lord ;  but  I  have  something  important 
to  say.  I  have  had  the  good  luck  to  capture  a  messen- 
ger carrying  a  despatch  from  the  Duke  of  Montpensier 
to  Monseigneur." 

"  To  Monseigneur  !  "   and,  turning   to   my  prisoner, 

he  said,  "  Is  he  not  with  the  troops  who  attacked  us  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know  the  customs  of  your  gentlemen,  my 

lord,"  he  replied,  with  a  low  bow,  "  but  it  is  not  our 

practice  to  betray  secrets  to  an  enemy." 

"  A  proper  answer,"  said  the  Admiral,  with  more 
slowness  of  speech  even  than  usual,  "  and  a  just  reproof. 
But  this  paper  should  tell  what  I  wish  to  learn,"  and 
he  broke  the  seal. 

"  Montpensier's  division  alone,"  he  muttered  ;  "  this 
is  valuable  information.  Le  Blanc,  can  we  be  sure 
of  this  ?  " 

"It  is  certain,  my  lord,  that  Monseigneur's  troops 
are  not  present,  though  I  believe  they  are  hurrying 
to  join  with  the  Duke's." 

"  There  will  be  just  time,"  he  said,  **  just  time," 


I  Rejoin  the  Advance       109 

and,  leaving  his  meal,  he  instantly  summoned  his 
principal  officers. 

As  soon  as  my  interview  with  him  was  over  a  dozen 
of  my  old  comrades  crowded  around,  congratulating 
me  on  my  recovery,  and  asking  all  sorts  of  questions. 
Several  familiar  faces  were  missing,  and  I  learned  that 
more  than  one  of  my  intimate  friends  had  been  left 
behind  in  the  trenches  at  Poictiers.  Felix,  happily, 
was  unhurt,  and  he  informed  me  that  Roger  Braund 
was  still  with  the  little  troop  of  Englishmen. 

"  But  what  of  your  prisoner  ?  "  he  asked.  "  Has  he 
given  his  parole  ?  " 

"  No,  I  fancy  he  is  rather  counting  on  the  chance 
of  escape." 

"  Then  he  must  be  placed  under  guard.  I  will  attend 
to  it,  and  return  in  a  few  minutes.  Well,  Jacques,  has 
your  master  been  very  troublesome  ?  " 

"  Not  since  we  left  Limoges,  monsieur." 

We  were  preparing  to  look  for  Roger  when  the  bugles 
sounded,  the  men  sprang  to  arms,  and  orders  were  issued 
for  the  retreat  to  be  resumed. 

"  I  don't  like  this,"  grumbled  Felix,  "  it  breaks  the 
men's  spirits.  Our  rearguard  came  running  in  to-day 
like  a  parcel  of  sheep.  I  wish  the  Admiral  would  fight ; 
it  will  be  too  late  after  a  while.  It  is  not  pleasant  to 
be  chased  as  if  we  were  rabbits." 

The  royalists  were  in  full  view  now,  and  the  faster 
we  marched  the  more  closely  they  pressed  the  pursuit. 
It  was  very  galling,  and  many  a  murmur  was  heard 
even  against  our  noble  leader,  but  none  from  those 
who  rode  with  him  in  the  rear.    Twice  we  turned  and 


no      I  Rejoin  the  Advance 

faced  the  enemy,  but,  on  each  occasion,  after  a  few 
minutes'  conflict  the  order  was  issued  for  further  retreat. 

At  length  we  reached  the  summit  of  a  gentle  slope, 
behind  which  flowed  the  River  Dive.  Here  it  seemed 
as  if  the  Admiral  intended  to  make  a  stand,  but  the 
royaUsts  gave  him  little  leisure  for  forming  plans. 
They  advanced  boldly,  taunting  us  for  runaways,  and 
bidding  us  muster,  sufficient  courage  to  cross  swords 
with  them. 

A  volley  from  our  German  foot-soldiers  checked  their 
rush,  and,  while  they  were  endeavouring  to  re-form,  a 
body  of  horse  crashed,  as  if  shot  from  a  gun,  into  their 
left  flank.  The  noble  St.  Cyr,  erect  and  soldierly,  in 
spite  of  his  four  score  and  five  years,  led  the  charge, 
and  a  rousing]cheer  broke  from  us  at  sight  of  the  gallant 
veteran. 

But  there  was  little  time  for  cheering.  "  Charge, 
my  children  !  "  cried  the  Admiral,  "  charge,  and  strike 
home  !     For  the  Faith  !  " 

"  For  the  Faith  !  "  we  echoed  lustily,  spurring  our 
horses,  and  dashing  into  the  fray. 

Hammered  by  St.  Cyr  on  the  left,  by  the  Admiral  in 
front,  by  the  young  princes  on  the  right,  the  royalist 
horse  reeled  and  staggered.  Again  and  again  they 
tried  to  rally ;  but  we  rode  them  down,  broke  the 
groups  as  soon  as  they  re-formed,  drove  them  pell- 
mell  on  to  their  infantry,  and  then  with  one  grand 
rush  tumbled  the  whole  division  into  ruin. 

"  Forward !  Forward ! "  cried  the  hot-bloods« 
"  Remember  Jarnac  !  "  "  Remember  Cond6  !  "  "  Cut 
them  down ! " 


I  Rejoin  the  Advance        1 1 1 

But  a  wild  pursuit  formed  no  part  of  the  Admiral's 
plans ;  he  wished  to  cross  the  river  unmolested,  so  the 
bugles  wore  sounded,  and  we  came  dropping  back, 
laughing  and  cheering,  and  in  high  spirits  at  our  brilliant 
little  victory.  As  with  flushed  cheeks  and  sparkling 
eyes  we  ranged  ourselves  around  our  brave  leader 
some  one  cried  out,  "  See,  what  is  going  on  over  yonder  !  " 

In  a  corner  of  the  field,  some  distance  ofi,  a  number 
of  royalists  had  rallied  round  a  flag.  Something  strange 
was  happening  ;  the  flag  disappeared,  came  into  view 
again,  and  once  more  sank  from  sight.  Then  in  one 
spot  the  crowd  gave  way  as  if  burst  asunder,  and  out 
from  the  gap  leaped  a  horseman.  He  was  carrying 
the  flag,  and  he  rode  straight  toward  us.  A  dozen 
men  started  in  pursuit,  but  he  outdistanced  them 
easily,  turning  from  time  to  time  and  waving  the  flag 
as  if  in  derision. 

We  gazed  in  astonishment  at  the  spectacle,  wonder- 
ing what  it  meant,  until  Felix  cried  out,  "  'Tis  the  Eng- 
lishman !  'Tis  Roger  Braund.  He  has  captured  the  flag  !  " 

A  great  roar  of  cheering  went  up  as  he  approached 
us,  his  helmet  gone,  his  face  bleeding,  his  doublet 
slashed,  but  his  eyes  smiling  cheerfully.  With  an 
easy  grace  he  jumped  from  his  horse,  and  advancing 
on  foot  presented  the  trophy  to  the  Admiral. 

"  A  memento  of  the  battle-field,  my  lord,"  he  said, 
with  a  courteous  bow. 

Coligny  took  the  flag,  and  with  a  rare  smile  handed 
it  back,  saying,  "  Monsieur,  it  could  not  remain  in 
worthier  hands  !  Let  it  be  carried  in  the  ranks  of  your 
gallant  countrymen,  to  whom  we  owe  so  much." 


112      I  Rejoin  the  Advance 

Roger  bowed  again.  "  The  memory  of  your  praise 
my  lord,"  said  he,  "  will  nerve  us  to  deserve  it." 

As  we  rode  back  toward  the  river,  every  one  tried 
to  get  near  him,  to  shake  his  hand,  to  praise  him  for 
his  deed  of  daring.  And  in  truth  it  was  a  splendid 
action  !  Single-handed,  he  had  charged  into  the  press ; 
single-handed  he  had  wrested  the  trophy  from  its 
custodian ;  and,  still  alone,  had  fought  his  way  out. 
It  was  a  brilliant  feat,  which  we  of  the  Religion  talked 
of  round  many  a  camp  fire.  And  that  it  was  done  by 
one  who  was  not  our  countryman  did  not  lessen  our 
admiration. 


CHAPTER   XI 
A    Desperate  Conflict 

We  had  crossed  the  Dive  safely,  the  cavahy  last  of  all, 
and  the  soldiers,  wearied  by  their  long  marches,  had 
thrown  themselves'  down  to  snatch  a  brief  rest.  The 
enemy  were  assembling  on  the  opposite  bank  of  the 
river,  and  it  was  plain  that  they  had  been  heavily 
reinforced. 

"  Monseigneur  must  have  arrived  with  his  troops," 
said  Fehx.  "  I  hope  the  Admiral  will  offer  him  battle. 
The  victory  over  Montpensier  has  put  our  fellows  in 
fine  fettle  ;  they  would  fight  now  with  a  good  heart." 

"  The  enemy  have  us  at  a  disadvantage,"  said  Roger. 
"  You  forget  our  guns  are  at  Montcontour." 

A  surgeon  had  dressed  his  wounds  ;  he  had  borrowed 
a  helmet  from  a  comrade,  and  had  changed  his  doublet. 
His  left  arm  troubled  him  somewhat,  but  otherwise 
he  suffered  no  ill  effects  from  his  famous  fight  for  the 
flag. 

"  They  outnumber  us,  too,"  said  I,  "  especially  in 
their  cavalry,  and  Anjou's  gentlemen  are  no  mean 
sworders." 

"  But  we  must  fight  at  some  time  or  other ;    we 

F.A.  "»  8 


114       ^  Desperate  Conflict 

cannot  wander  about  the  country  for  ever  !  "  laughed 
Felix.  "  It  seems  to  me  we  have  been  playing  at  hide- 
and-seek  with  Anjou  ever  since  leaving  Poictiers.  And 
let  me  whisper  another  thing — the  Germans  are  begin- 
ning to  grumble," 

"  That,"  said  Roger,  "  is  a  serious  matter.  What 
is  their  grievance  ?  " 

"  Money  !  Their  pay  has  fallen  into  arrears,  and  I 
don't  see  how  it  is  to  be  made  up.  The  Admiral  has 
almost  ruined  himself  for  the  Cause  already.  'Tis  a 
pity  we  cannot  capture  Anjou's  money  chests ; 
they  would  be  worth  having.  Corhleu !  the  bugle 
is  sounding  !    That  means  there  is  to  be  no  battle." 

"  Monseigneur  may  have  something  to  say  to  that," 
remarked  Roger,  as  he  walked  off  toward  his  own 
comrades. 

In  a  short  time  the  troops  had  fallen  in,  and  the 
infantry  at  a  swinging  pace  marched  off  the  ground, 
the  cavalry  as  before  forming  the  rearguard.  The 
evening  was  neither  clear  nor  dull,  there  being  just 
sufficient  light  to  enable  us  to  see  our  way.  St.  Cyr's 
troop,  and  the  body  of  Englishmen,  now,  alas !  sadly 
reduced  in  numbers,  rode  last  of  all,  and  occasionally 
one  of  the  troopers  would  gallop  up  to  our  leader  with 
information  of  the  enemy's  movements. 

We  appeared  to  have  gained  a  good  start,  as  it  was 
not  until  noon  of  the  next  day  that  our  rearguard 
was  driven  in,  and  we  got  a  clear  view  of  the  hostile 
troops.  They  followed  us  closely,  hanging  like  leeches 
on  our  rear,  but  refraining  from  making  any  determined 
attack.    Still,  in  order  to  protect  our  own  main  body, 


A  Desperate  Conflict        115 

we  were  forced  several  times  to  turn  at  bay.  In  these 
combats  the  fiercest  fighting  always  centred  round 
the  troop  of  Englishmen  carrying  the  captured 
flag. 

"  Roger  is  a  gallant  fellow,"  I  remarked  after  one 
of  these  occasions,  "  but  too  venturesome.  It  would 
be  more  prudent  to  hide  the  trophy." 

"  Faith  !  "  cried  Felix,  "  you  have  strange  ideas  ! 
I  would  hold  it  as  high  as  I  could,  till  my  arm  was 
numbed.  I  hear  they  have  hung  our  banners  in  Notre 
Dame,  so  that  the  Parisians  may  see  what  fine  fellows 
they  are.  If  I  could  capture  a  flag,  Edmond,  they 
should  cut  me  in  little  pieces  before  I  let  it  go.  Were 
I  your  English  friend  I  would  not  change  places  with 
Coligny  himself." 

"  Well,"  I  said  laughing,  "  you  may  have  a  chance 
to  obtain  your  wish  soon,  for,  whether  it  pleases  our 
leaders  or  not,  they  will  be  compelled  to  fight.  This 
retreat  cannot  continue  much  longer.  And  if  the 
Germans  desert  us,  there  is  likely  to  be  a  second 
Jarnac." 

"Rubbish!"  exclaimed  he  lightly;  "we  should 
gain  the  greater  honour  by  the  victory !  " 

Our  German  allies  had  become  very  sullen  during 
the  last  day  or  two,  and  the  evening  we  reached  Mont- 
contour  they  broke  out  into  open  threats.  They 
declared  angrily  that  unless  their  arrears  of  pay  were 
immediately  made  up  they  would  not  fight. 

The  evening  was  almost  as  miserable  as  that  after  the 
battle  of  Jarnac.  Monseigneur,  with  a  strong,  well- 
equipped  army,  was  close  on  our  heels,  ready  to  swoop 


1 1 6       A  Desperate  Conflict 

down  upon  us  at  any  moment.  Our  own  men  were 
weary  and  disheartened,  and  now  we  had  to  contend 
with  the  anger  of  our  alUes. 

"  Let  the  poltroons  go  !  "  exclaimed  Felix  scornfully. 
"  We  will  fight  and  win  without  them/'  and  all  the 
young  hot-heads  among  our  comrades  applauded 
him.  But  the  veterans  were  wiser,  and  openly  showed 
their  plea  ure  when  it  was  announced  that  our  leader 
had,  by  another  splendid  sacrifice,  appeased  his  muti- 
nous followers.  But,  even  with  the  Germans  ready 
to  do  their  duty,  our  prospects  seemed  to  me  far  from 
rosy,  and  I  found  that  Roger  Braund  held  the  same 
view. 

"  Whether  we  fight  or  retreat,"  said  he,  "  in  my 
opinion  the  situation  is  equally  desperate." 

"  The  Council  has  decided  to  give  battle,"  exclaimed 
Felix,  who  had  just  come  from  the  Admiral's  tent, 

"Then  a  good  many  of  us  are  spending  our  last 
evening  on  earth,"  observed  Roger  calmly. 

"  We  must  take  our  chance,"  said  Felix ;  "  every 
battle  levies  its  toll;  but  I  can  see  no  more  danger 
here  than  at  Roche  Abeille.  Do  you  think  our  fellows 
have  lost  heart  ?  " 

"  Not  exactly ;  but  they  are  dispirited,  while  their 
opponents  are  full  of  confidence." 

"  We  beat  them  at  Roche  Abeille  !  " 

"  They  have  recovered  from  that  defeat." 

"  We  flung  them  off  at  Dive  !  " 

"  A  bagatelle !  Remember,  only  Montpensier's 
division  was  engaged.  Things  are  different  now. 
Monseigneur  has  a  thoroughly  good  army.     His  cavalry 


A  Desperate  Conflict        117 

especially  are  as  brave  as  ours,  and  far  more  numer- 
ous. Still,  I  may  be  looking  through  a  smoked  glass. 
This  time  to-morrow  you  may  be  rallying  me  on  my 
gloomy  prophecy.     I  hope  so,  with  all  my  heart  !  " 

"  I  am  sure  of  it,"  laughed  Felix  merrily.  "  You 
will  not  have  the  courage  to  look  me  in  the 
face  !  " 

During  this  conversation  there  was  a  matter  on 
my  mind  of  which  I  was  resolved  to  speak  before  my 
English  comrade  returned  to  his  own  quarters. 

"  Is  it  necessary,"  I  asked,  "  to  carry  that  flag  into 
the  battle  to-morrow  ?  According  to  your  account, 
the  conflict  will  be  a  desperate  one  ;  is  it  well  to  expose 
your  comrades  to  even  greater  danger  ?  The  sight 
of  it  will  rouse  your  opponents  to  fury,  and  your  troop 
will  be  singled  out  for  vengeance." 

"  As  Felix  would  say,  we  must  take  our  chance,"  he 
answered  smilingly.  "  The  Admiral  committed  the 
flag  to  our  charge,  and  my  comrades  will  guard  it 
with  their  lives." 

"  It  is  needless  risk." 

"  I  think  not,  Edmond  ;  it  will  put  heart  into  us 
when  the  hour  of  trial  comes.  But  the  night  grows 
late ;  I  must  wish  you  farewell,  and  trust  that  we 
may  meet  again  when  the  battle  is  over." 

We  bade  him  good-night,  and,  having  no  duties  to 
perform,  lay  down  to  rest.  I  slept  very  hghtly,  my 
brain  being  filled  with  all  sorts  of  confused  fancies, 
and  it  was  a  relief  to  hear  the  bugles  sound  the 
rouse. 

Felix  sprang  up  cheerfully,  and  in  a  short  time  we 


1 1  8       A  Desperate  Conflict 

had  placed  ourselves  in  attendance  on  our  chief,  who 
greeted  us  with  his  usual  grave  but  kindly  smile. 

"  Let  us  commend  our  souls  to  God,  gentlemen," 
he  said  reverently,  "  and  beseech  Him  to  strengthen 
our  hearts  in  the  approaching  encounter." 

It  may  have  been  pure  fancy  on  my  part,  but  as 
we  rode  along  the  lines  I  seemed  to  miss  that  air  of 
cheerful  confidence  which  had  been  so  evident  at  Roche 
Abeille.  The  men  greeted  their  general  with  cheers, 
and  I  had  no  doubt  they  would  do  their  duty ;  but 
they  lacked  that  eager  vivacity  which  goes  so  far  toward 
winning  victory. 

Across  the  plain  the  enemy  were  drawn  up  in  two 
lines  with  their  artillery  posted  on  a  hill,  and  about 
eight  o'clock  the  first  cannon  ball  came  booming  toward 
us.  Instantly  our  guns  replied,  and  a  fierce  artillery 
duel  which  lasted  throughout  the  battle  began. 

"  Their  guns  are  heavier  than  ours,  and  carry  a 
farther  distance,"  I  observed  to  Felix. 

"It  matters  little,"  replied  he;  "the  battle  will 
be  decided  by  the  sword.  I  wonder  when  we  are 
going  to  advance  ?  " 

"  Not  at  all,  I  expect.  The  Admiral  has  chosen 
his  ground  " — though  there  was  little  choice  for  that 
matter — "  and  intends  to  stand  on  the  defensive." 

"  That  may  suit  the  Germans  well  enough,  but  our 
own  men  do  not  lil^e  waiting  to  be  charged. 
Monseigneur  means  to  drive  in  our  right  wing !  See, 
he  is  bringing  his  cavalry  forward.  How  splendidly 
they  ride  !  It  makes  one  proud  to  know  they  are 
Frenchmen !  " 


A  Desperate  Conflict        119 

"  And  sorry,  too  !  " 

I  think  Monseigneur  was  at  their  head,  but  the 
distance  from  our  centre,  where  the  Admiral  had  sta- 
tioned himself,  was  great,  and  I  may  have  been  mis- 
taken ;  but  the  leader,  whoever  he  was,  advanced 
very  gallantly,  several  lengths  in  advance  of  his  front 
line,  waving  his  sword  and  cheering  his  followers. 

The  sun  shone  down  on  their  steel  caps,  their  breast- 
plates and  thigh-pieces,  and  made  their  swords  glitter 
like  silver.  They  formed  a  pretty  picture,  with  their 
gay  flags  and  fluttering  pennons,  and  they  rode  with 
all  the  confidence  of  victors. 

From  a  trot  they  broke  into  a  gallop,  and  we  held 
our  breath  as,  gathering  momentum,  they  swept  proudly 
down  on  our  right  wing.  A  volley  rang  out,  and  here 
and  there  a  trooper  dropped,  but  the  rest  galloped 
on  straight  for  their  foe. 

We  craned  our  necks  to  watch  the  result.  Not  a 
man  spoke ;  we  hardly  dared  to  breathe,  so  keen 
was  our  anxiety.  Would  our  fellows  stand  firm  before 
that  human  avalanche  ?  If  they  gave  way  ever  so 
little,  our  right  wing  must  be  tumbled  into  ruin. 

Nearer  and  nearer,  in  beautiful  order,  horse's  head 
to  horse's  head,  they  tore  along,  until,  with  a  tremen- 
dous crash,  they  flung  themselves  upon  the  solid  wall 
of  infantry. 

"  Bravo  !  "  cried  Felix  excitedly,  "  they  are  broken  ; 
they  are  turning  back  !  Ah,  St.  Cyr  is  upon  them ! 
There  go  the  Englishmen  !  For  the  Faith  !  For  tne 
Faith  !  " 

We  stood  in  our  stirrups,  waving  our  swords  and 


I20      A  Desperate  Conflict 

cheering  like  madmen.  Straight  as  a  die  the  noble 
veteran  with  his  gallant  troop  and  the  scanty  band  of 
Englishmen  leaped  into  the  midst  of  the  baffled  horse- 
men, and  drove  them  back  in  wild  disorder. 

But  there  were  brave  and  valiant  hearts  among 
those  royalist  gentlemen,  and  we  had  hardly  finished 
our  exulting  cheers  when  they  returned  to  the  attack. 
They  flung  away  their  lives  recklessly,  but  they  forced 
a  passage,  and  our  infantry  were  slowly  pelding  to 
numbers  when  Coligny,  with  a  "  Follow  me,  gentle- 
men !  "  galloped  to  the  rescue. 

Cheer  answered  cheer  as  we  dashed  into  the  fray, 
and  the  shouts  of  "  Anjou  !  "  were  drowned  by  the 
cries  of  "  For  the  Faith  !  "  "  For  the  Admiral !  " 

With  splendid  bravery  the  royalists  stood  their 
ground ;  but  Coligny's  presence  so  inspired  his  fol- 
lowers that  at  last,  with  one  irresistible  rush,  they 
swept   forward,   carrying   everything   before   them. 

"  Stand  firm,  my  brave  lads  !  "  said  our  chief,  as  the 
troops,  flushed  with  their  success,  formed  up  anew, 
"  stand  firm,  and  the  day  is  won  !  " 

He  had  turned  to  speak  to  the  Count  of  St.  Cyr, 
when  a  mounted  messenger  dashed  up,  panting  and 
breathless. 

"  My  lord,"  he  gasped,  after  a  moment's  pause,  "  we 
are  heavily  beset  on  the  left,  and  are  being  forced  back. 
I  fear  that  the  whole  wing  is  in  danger." 

"  Courage,  my  friend,"  replied  Coligny,  "  courage. 
We  wiU  be  with  you  directly.  Come,  gentlemen,  there 
is  still  work  for  us  to  do." 

The  battle  was  now  at  its  height,  but  as  we  dashed 


A  Desperate  Conflict         121 

along  from  right  to  left,  our  centre  paused  to  cheer 
their  gallant  general.  They  were  hardly  pressed,  but 
were  holding  their  own  sturdily,  and  our  spirits  rose  at 
sight  of  their  intrepid  defence. 

On  the  left  wing,  however,  the  case  was  different. 
Here  Anjou,  or  Tavannes — for  I  suppose  it  was  the 
marshal  who  really  directed  the  battle — was  throwing 
successive  bodies  of  troops  upon  the  devoted  Huguenots, 
who  were  sorely  put  to  it  to  defend  their  position.  But 
at  our  approach  a  great  cry  of  relief  went  up  from  the 
panting  soldiers.  There  was  one  among  us  worth  a 
whole  division  ! 

Even  those  who  had  begun  to  retreat  joined  in  the 
shout,  and  once  more  dashed  into  the  fray.  Wave 
after  wave  of  royalists  rolled  down  upon  us,  but  time 
and  again  we  flung  them  back,  and  at  last,  with  one 
superb  effort,  hurled  their  front  rank  into  ruin. 

"  The  day  goes  well,"  cried  Felix  exultingly,  as  we 
galloped  back  to  our  lines.  "  Anjou  will  remember 
Mont  contour  !  " 

In  every  part  of  the  field  the  fight  now  raged  fiercely, 
and,  wherever  the  stress  was  greatest,  there,  as  if  by 
magic,  appeared  Coligny.  His  escort  steadily  decreased 
in  numbers  ;  one  died  here,  while  supporting  a  body 
of  infantry,  another  dropped  during  some  wild  charge  ; 
but  our  general  himself,  though  fighting  like  a  common 
trooper,  appeared  invulnerable. 

Wherever  he  was,  there  victory  followed  our  arms ; 
but  the  odds  against  us  were  too  heavy.  Our  men 
stood  in  their  places  and  fought  to  the  death ;  but 
their  limbs  grew  tired,  their  arms  ached  with  the  strain  ; 


122       A  Desperate  Conflict 

they  needed  rest.  All  our  troops,  however,  were  in  the 
fighting-line,  and  the  royalist  attacks  never  ceased. 

Anjou  fed  his  lines  constantly ;  fresh  troops  took 
the  places  of  the  fallen ;  we  might  slay  and  slay,  but 
the  number  of  our  enemies  never  seemed  to  lessen. 
And  in  the  midst  of  the  terrible  uproar  a  cry  arose  that 
our  centre  was  wavering.  For  an  hour  or  more  a  battle 
of  giants  had  been  taking  place  there.  In  front  of  our 
infantry  the  dead  lay  piled  in  a  heap,  but  for  every 
royalist  who  died  Anjou  sent  another. 

The  strain  was  too  great  to  be  borne.  Our  men 
were  beginning  to  give  way,  and  once  more  we  gal- 
loped with  the  Admiral  at  headlong  speed  toward  the 
point  of  danger.  We  were  too  late  ;  we  should  perhaps 
have  been  too  late  in  any  case.  The  royalist  foot- 
soldiers  opened  out,  and  from  behind  them  poured 
impetuously  a  body  of  horsemen. 

They  struck  us  full,  rode  us  down,  leaped  at  the 
infantry,  forced  a  passage  here  and  there,  cut  and 
slashed  without  mercy,  yelling  like  tigers,  "  Death  to 
the  Huguenots  !  " 

Coligny  was  wounded,  his  face  bled  ;  I  thought  he 
would  have  fallen  from  his  saddle  ;  but,  recovering 
himself,  he  called  on  us  to  follow  him  and  dashed  at 
the  victorious  horsemen.  Our  numbers  were  few 
and  no  help  could  reach  us.  We  called  on  our  men  to 
stand  firm,  to  fight  for  the  Admiral,  to  remember  their 
wives  and  children — it  was  all  in  vain. 

We  were  borne  along  in  one  struggling,  confused  mass, 
horse  and  foot,  royalists  and  Huguenots  all  mingled 
together. 


A  Desperate  Conflict         123 

"  Anjou  !  Anjou  !  "  shouted  the  victors  in  wild 
exultation,  while  the  cries  of  "  For  the  Admiral  !  For 
the  Faith  !  "  became  weaker  and  weaker.  In  that 
part  of  the  field  the  battle  was  lost. 

We  closed  around  our  chief,  perhaps  a  score  of  us, 
some  even  of  that  number  already  desperately  wounded. 
No  one  spoke,  but  we  set  our  teeth  hard,  resolving 
grimly  that  there  should  be  twenty  corpses  before 
Anjou's  victorious  troopers  reached  him. 

"  We  must  stop  them,"  said  Coligny,  speaking  in 
evident  pain,  "  turn  them  back,  beg  them  to  fight,  or 
the  Cause  is  lost." 

Again  and  again  we  endeavoured  to  make  a  stand  ; 
calling  on  the  fugitives  to  halt,  to  remember  they  were 
Frenchmen,  to  look  their  foes  in  the  face — it  was  use- 
less, every  little  group  that  formed  for  a  moment  being 
swept  away  by  the  raging,  human  torrent. 

"  Some  one  must  find  Count  Louis  of  Nassau,"  said 
our  general,  "  and  say  I  trust  to  him  to  cover  the  retreat. 
We  may  yet  rally  the  runaways." 

We  looked  at  each  other  in  doubt.  It  was  not  the 
fear  of  death  that  kept  us  tongue-tied,  though  death 
lay  in  our  rear,  but  each  man  wished  to  spend  his  life 
for  our  beloved  leader. 

"  Let  three  or  four  of  you  go,"  he  said;  "one  may 
reach  him,"  and  as  he  spoke  his  glance  seemed  to  light 
on  my  face. 

"  I  will  take  the  Count  your  message,  my  lord  !  " 
I  cried,  and  without  waiting  for  a  reply  turned  my 
horse's  head,  and  dashed  into  the  whirlpool. 

The    battle-field    was    a    hideous    scene.     Wherever 


124       A  Desperate  Conflict 

the  eye  could  reach,  men  were  fighting  and  dying. 
There  was  no  order  even  among  the  conquerors.  I 
came  across  a  little  knot  of  Huguenot  gentlemen  who 
had  turned  furiously  at  bay. 

"  For  the  Admiral !  "  I  cried,  plunging  in  wild  ex- 
citement into  the  midst  of  the  hostile  sworders.  "  For 
the  Admiral ! "  Perhaps  my  comrades  thought  me 
mad,  and  in  sober  truth  they  would  not  have  been  far 
wrong ;  but  they  were  generous  souls,  and  with  a  yell  of 
defiance  they  cut  their  way  through  after  me. 

"  Count  Louis,"  I  said  breathlessly  to  the  first  man, 
as  we  emerged  on  the  other  side,  "  where  is  he  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know  ;  he  was  on  our  right  wing  when  the 
crash  came." 

"  I  must  find  him  ;  I  have  a  message  from  the  chief  " 

"  Let  us  try  the  right  wing,"  he  said,  "  they  are  mak- 
ing a  stand  there." 

A  dozen  gentlemen  had  followed  me,  one  of  them 
carrying  a  flag,  and  as  we  galloped  forward  others 
joined  us  until  we  were  fifty  or  sixty  strong.  It  was 
like  riding  into  the  very  jaws  of  death,  but  they  asked 
no  questions  ;  the  sight  of  the  flag  was  sufficient,  A 
body  of  infantry  barred  our  path  ;  we  turned  neither  to 
right  nor  left,  but  crashed  straight  through  them.  A 
few  foot-soldiers  ran  with  us,  holding  by  the  stir- 
rups, going  cheerfully  to  death,  rather  than  seek  safety 
in  shameful  flight. 

Suddenly  a  burst  of  cheering  in  a  foreign  tongue 
reached  us.  "  Hurrah  !  Hurrah  !  For  the  Admiral !  '' 
and  a  troop  of  horse  came  tearing  down.  It  was  the 
band  of  gallant  Englishmen,  and  I  recognized  Roger 


A  Desperate  Conflict         125 

Braund  still  bearing  the  captured  trophy.  Fearing 
they  might  mistake  us  for  royalists  I  rode  forward 
hastily,  crying  in  English,  "  Friends  !  Friends  !  We 
are  Huguenots  !  " 


CHAPTER   XII 

The  Return  to  Rochelle 

The  conference  was  brief.  "  Have  you  seen  Count 
Louis  ?  "  I  asked  their  leader. 

"  No,  monsieur,  but  we  will  help  you  to  find  him. 
Forward,  brave  boys  ;    another  blow  for  the  Cause  !  " 

They  replied  with  a  cheer — oh,  how  those  English- 
men cheered  ! — and  we  raced  on  together,  French  and 
English,  side  by  side,  and  death  all  around  us.  I 
glanced  at  Roger ;  he  had  been  wounded  again,  but 
there   was   no   time   to   speak. 

The  retreat  in  this  part  of  the  field  had  not  become 
general ;  numbers  of  soldiers  in  tolerably  good  order 
were  still  battling  stubbornly,  and  presently  we  reached 
the  renmant  of  several  troops  of  cavalry. 

In  front  of  them  was  the  venerable  Count  of  St. 
Cyr,  his  snow-white  beard  sweeping  to  his  waist. 

"My  lord,"  I  said,  riding  up,  "  can  you  tell  me  where 
to  find  Count  Louis  of  Nassau  ?  " 

"  Farther  on  the  right,  monsieur,"  he  replied  court- 
eously; "  but  you  will  find  it  difBcult  to  reach  him. 
Ah,  here  they  come  !  "  and,  glancing  ahead,  I  perceived 


The  Return  to  Rochelle     127 

a  cloud  of  horsemen  preparing  to  swoop  down  upon 
us. 

"  Pray,  my  lord,"  pleaded  his  chaplain,  who  was 
close  by,  "  say  something  to  encourage  your  troops. 
They  are  faint  and  weary  with  fighting,  and  the  odds 
against  them  are  terrible." 

The  stout-hearted  warrior  turned  to  his  followers. 
"  Brave  men  need  no  words  !  "  he  cried ;  "  do  as  you 
see  me  do  !  "  and  they  greeted  his  speech  with  frantic 
cheers. 

"  You  will  be  lucky  to  meet  Count  Louis  after  this  !  " 
cried  Roger,  as  I  returned  to  my  men. 

The  royalists  swept  forward,  threatening  to  engulf 
us  as  the  wild  sea  swallows  a  tiny  boat,  and  I  must 
admit  that  my  heart  sank  at  sight  of  them.  But  I 
was  in  the  company  of  brave  men,  and  following  the 
flag  of  as  brave  a  leader  as  could  be  found  in  all 
France. 

He  glanced  round  at  us  ;  there  was  a  proud  smile 
on  his  resolute  face ;  his  eyes  glowed  with  fiery 
ardour. 

"  Charge,  my  children  !  "  he  cried,  "  and  strike  a 
last  blow  for  St.  Cyr  !  " 

He  pressed  his  horse's  sides  with  the  spurs,  and 
waving  his  sword  dashed  forward,  his  battle-cry,  "  St. 
Cyr  !  "  ringing  out  high  and  clear.  It  was  a  sight  to 
make  one  weep,  and  yet  feel  proud  that  one's  country 
could  produce  such  a  hero. 

Forward  we  went,  and  the  air  was  filled  with  cries 
of  "  St  Cyr  !  For  the  Admiral !  Hurrah  !  Hurrah  !  " 
as  we  plunged  into  the  midst  of  the  press. 


12  8     The  Return  to  Rochelle 

"  Forward,  my  children  !  "  cried  St  Cyr,  as  he  carved 
a  passage  for  himself  through  the  throng";  "  forward  !  " 

He  was  a  splendid  rider  and  a  skilful  swordsman, 
but  his  enemies  closed  round  him  thickly.  Savage 
blows  rained  upon  him  from  every  side,  and  at  last,  with 
a  "  Fight  on,  my  children  !  "  the  gallant  veteran  sank 
bleeding  to  the  ground.  Montcontour  cost  France 
numerous  brave  men  but  none  braver  than  the  chivalrous 
St.  Cyr. 

His  fall,  instead  of  dispiriting  his  followers,  roused 
them  to  fury  !  No  one  asked  or  gave  quarter  ;  it  was 
a  fight  to  the  death,  and  when  finally  we  succeeded  in 
breaking  through  the  royalist  horse,  half  of  our  number 
lay  lifeless  on  the  plain.  Some  there  were — St.  Cyr's 
personal  attendants  notably — so  fired  with  grief  and 
anger  at  the  death  of  their  beloved  chief  that  they 
were  for  turning  back  and  renewing  the  combat. 

This,  however,  was  stark  madness,  so  we  galloped 
on,  with  the  royalists  like  sleuth-hounds  on  our 
track. 

Presently  they  slackened  their  pace,  and  then  aban- 
doned the  pursuit,  for  we  were  approaching  our  cavalry, 
commanded  by  Count  Louis  of  Nassau. 

"  You  are  welcome,  brave  hearts  !  "  he  exclaimed, 
"  every  man  is  needed,"  and  his  troops  cheered  us 
vigorously. 

"  My  lord,"  I  said,  riding  up  and  saluting,  "  I  have 
come  from  the  Admiral ;  he  begs  that  you  will  cover 
the  retreat,  for  unless  you  can  do  so  all  is  lost." 

"  Where  is  the  Admiral,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  My  lord,  when  the  centre  broke,  he  was  carried  away 


The  Return  to  Rochelle     129 

by  the  rush.  He  has  been  wounded  in  the  head,  and 
I  fear  seriously." 

*'  Did  you  leave  him  in  safety  ?  " 

"  He  was  surrounded  by  his  bodyguard ;  at  least, 
by  all  those  who  were  left  alive." 

"  Will  the  centre  rally,  think  you  ?  " 

"  There  is  no  centre ;  it  is  a  scattered  mob.  I  fear 
there  is  no  army  except  the  troops  you  have  here.  The 
left,  I  am  sure,  has  given  way." 

He  w£is  about  to  reply  when  a  cavalier  galloped  up 
to  us.  His  horse's  sides  were  flaked  with  spume,  and 
the  gallant  beast  quivered  in  every  limb.  The  rider 
was  deathly  pale ;  one  arm  hung  down  limply,  his 
side  was  stained  with  blood.  He  rolled  from  side  to 
side,  having  scarcely  sufficient  strength  to  keep  his 
seat  in  the  saddle. 

He  endeavoured  to  salute  Count  Louis,  while  I, 
leaning  forward,  placed  my  arm  round  his  waist  to  support 
him. 

"  My  lord,"  he  said,  "  the  Admiral "  and  stopped 

helpless. 

"  'Tis  one  of  Coligny's  gentlemen,"  I  exclaimed, 
"  he  has  come  on  the  same  errand  as  myself.  There 
were  three  or  four  of  us." 

The  wounded  cavalier  looked  into  my  face.  "  Le 
Blanc  !  "  he  said  feebly ;  "  it  is  all  right,"  and  with 
that  his  head  fell  forward,  and  he  dropped  dead  across 
his  horse's  neck. 

"  A  brave  and  gallant  gentleman  ! "  exclaimed  Count 
Louis.     "  France  should  be  proud  of  her  sons  !  " 

Lifting  him  from  his  horse,  we  laid  him  on  the  plain 

9 


130     The  Return  to  Rochelle 

and  turned  away.  On  that  awful  day  no  one  had 
leisure  for  sorrow ;  the  sorrow  would  come  after- 
wards. 

It  was  useless  now  attempting  to  return  to  the  Ad- 
miral, so  I  joined  my  English  comrade. 

"  You  are  hurt  ?  "  I  said  anxiously. 

"  A  trifle  ;    no  more.     Where  is  Belli^vre  ?  " 

"  With  the  Admiral.  Coligny  is  badly  wounded. 
We  have  lost  the  battle." 

"  There  is  time  to  gain  the  victory  yet !  " 

"  You  do  not  understand.  The  army  is  gone  ;  it 
is  a  mere  mob,  utterly  helpless  ;  we  are  the  only  troops 
left.     The  royalists  are  slaying  at  their  pleasure." 

"  In  that  case,"  said  he  gravely,  "  we  have  serious 
work  before  us.  Who  was  the  noble  old  man  killed  in 
the  last  charge  ?  " 

"  The  Count  of  St.  Cyr,  one  of  the  bravest  gentle- 
men in  the  Huguenot  army.  It  will  grieve  the  Admiral 
sorely  to  hear  of  his  death." 

"  He  was  a  splendid  soldier.  Ah,  the  bugles  are 
sounding.  Edmond,  my  friend,  I  fear  the  worst  of  the 
day  is  still  to  come  ;  " 

My  English  friend  was  right.  What  had  gone  before 
was  the  play  of  children  compared  with  what  followed. 
We  had  the  whole  force  of  Anjou's  army  opposed  to  us. 
Hour  after  hour  we  retreated,  fighting  every  step  of 
the  way.  Of  the  eighteen  thousand  Huguenots  who  had 
marched  out  to  battle  it  seemed  as  if  we  alone  remained. 
Again  and  again  the  royalists  bore  down  in  over- 
whelming numbers ;  their  heavy  guns  ploughed  lanes 
through  our  ranks ;    the  arquebusiers  pelted  us  with 


The  Return  to  Rochelle     131 

bullets  unceasingly ;  the  horsemen  charged  with 
desperate  fury. 

But  in  spite  of  everything  we  held  together ;  for  if 
we  once  gave  way  the  doom  of  our  beloved  general  was 
sealed. 

"  Remember,  brave  hearts,"  cried  Count  Louis, 
'  that  we  are  fighting  for  the  Admiral !  We  must 
die  for  Coligny !  " 

He  himself  displayed  the  most  wonderful  bravery  ; 
nothing  daunted  him  ;  beset  by  death  on  every  hand 
he  remained  cool  and  resolute,  rallying  us  after  every 
onset,  rousing  the  faint-hearted  by  his  own  indomitable 
courage. 

At  last  the  blessed  darkness  came  to  our  rehef.  The 
rain  of  bullets  ceased  ;  we  no  longer  heard  the  thunder- 
ing beat  of  galloping  horses  in  our  rear,  were  no  longer 
called  to  face  about  in  order  to  repel  some  fierce  cavalry 
charge.  The  pursuit  had  stopped ;  the  victors  had 
returned  to  celebrate  their  triumph. 

We  marched  on  in  the  darkness  of  the  night,  gloomy 
and  weary.  Some  were  too  tired  and  dispirited  even 
to  talk  ;  others — but  only  a  few — grumbled  bitterly 
at  their  leaders,  telling  each  other  that  if  this  or  that 
had  been  done,  we  should  have  gained  the  victory.  Many 
of  the  poor  fellows  were  badly  hurt ;  some  sank  ex- 
hausted to  the  ground,  from  which  they  would  never 
rise  again. 

At  Parthenay  we  overtook  the  Admiral  and  the 
few  troops  he  had  been  able  to  collect.  When  morn- 
ing came,  Felix  was  one  of  the  first  to  meet  me,  and  I 
had  never  seen  him  so  down-hearted.    His  bright  smile, 


132    The  Return  to  Rochelle 

his  happy,  cheery  looks  had  all  gone  ;  he  hung  his 
head  in  shame. 

"  It  is  terrible,  Edmond,"  he  said ;  "  the  Cause  is 
ruined,  and  we  are  disgraced.  I  would  rather  we  had 
all  died  on  the  field." 

"  Nonsense  !  "  I  replied,  endeavouring  to  hearten 
him ;  "  we  are  of  far  more  use  alive  than  dead.  And 
to  be  beaten  is  not  to  be  disgraced.  Had  you  seen 
the  Count  of  St.  Cyr  die  you  would  not  use  that 
word.  But  what  of  our  chief  ?  Is  he  seriously 
wounded  ?  " 

"  His  jaw  is  broken  by  a  pistol-shot." 

"  Yet  I  warrant  he  has  not  given  way  to  de- 
spair !  " 

"  No,"  he  replied  with  something  of  his  old  bright- 
ness, "  a  Coligny  does  not  despair." 

"  Nor  does  a  Bellievre  !  "  I  returned  smiling.  "  We 
shall  rally  the  runaways  in  a  few  days,  and  Coligny 
will  command  an  army  again." 

The  defeat  Wcis,  however,  a  heavier  one  than  I  guessed, 
and  only  Anjou's  folly  saved  us  from  utter  destruction. 
Instead  of  hunting  us  down  with  his  whole  force  he 
turned  aside  to  besiege  St.  Jean  d'Angely,  and  thus 
gave  our  leaders  time  to  form  fresh  plans.  Strong 
garrisons  were  sent  to  defend  Niort  and  Angouleme, 
while  the  main  part  of  the  beaten  army  retired 
to  Rochelle. 

It  was  a  dismal  entry  into  the  town.  The  citizens 
came  to  meet  us,  the  men  sullen  and  downcast,  the 
women  white-faced  and  weeping.  Many  were  searching 
eagerly  among  the  war-worn  band  for  the  dear  ones 


The  Return  to  Rochelle     133 

they  would  never  meet  again  on  earth.  On  that  dread- 
ful day  scores  of  women  learned  for  the  first  time  that 
they  were  already  widowed,  and  that  their  helpless 
little  ones  were  fatherless. 

Opposite  the  hotel  I  perceived  Jeanne  and  my  mother, 
and  on  seeing  me  their  faces  lit  up  with  happy  smiles. 
I  could  not  go  to  them  then,  but  the  instant  my 
duties  permitted  I  ran  again  into  the  street.  They 
were  still  in  the  same  place,  waiting. 

"  I  thank  God  for  this  blessing,  my  son,"  said  my 
mother.  "  I  feared  I  had  lost  you  for  ever.  Let  us 
hasten  home ;   you  are  weary  and  faint." 

"  But  are  you  not  hurt,  Edmond  ?  "  cried  my  pretty 
sister.  "  Oh,  how  my  heart  ached  at  sight  of  those 
poor  wounded  men  !  They  must  have  suffered  torture 
on  their  long  march  !  " 

"  Did  Jacques  not  find  you  ?  "  my  mother  asked 
presently. 

"  Yes,  he  was  with  me  at  the  beginning  of  the  last 
battle,  but  I  have  not  seen  him  since.  He  may  have 
escaped  though,  for  all  that ;  numbers  besides  ourselves 
got  away.  Bellievre  is  safe,  and  so  is  Roger  Braund. 
They  have  acted  like  heroes  !  " 

"  I  saw  them  both,"  said  Jeanne,  blushing  prettily ; 
"  Monsieur  Braund  has  been  wounded." 

"  Yes,"  I  replied  laughing,  "  he  will  need  a  skilful 
nurse.  But  where  is  my  father  ?  Is  he  not  still  in 
Rochelle  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  Jeanne  with  a  sigh,  "  an  order  came  from 
the  Admiral  three  weeks  ago  for  him  to  take  fifty  men 
to  St.  Jean  d'Angely.    I  know  it  is  selfish,  but  I  wish, 


134    The  Return  to  Rochelle 

Edmondj  oh,  I  wish  he  could  have  stayed  with  us.  It 
seems  to  me  there  is  no  safety  outside  the  walls  of 
RocheUe." 

"  Rochelle  may  be  as  dangerous  as  any  other  place," 
I  remarked,  not  caring  to  let  them  know  that  Mon- 
seigneur  was  marching  on  St.  Jean  d'Angely.  "  But 
here  we  are  at  the  house ;  does  my  aunt  still  keep 
her  room  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  replied  Jeanne  with  a  smile,  "  though  I  believe 
her  illness  is  more  fanciful  than  real.  But  she  is  very 
good  and  kind,  and  we  humour  her  fancies." 

It  was  very  pleasant  to  be  home  again  ;  to  see  the 
loving  looks  and  to  receive  the  tender  caresses  of  my 
mother  and  sister.  They  were  eager  to  hear  what  had 
happened,  and  the  tears  came  to  their  eyes  as  I  de- 
scribed the  sufferings  of  my  gallant  comrades.  They 
were  brave,  too,  and  instead  of  being  crushed  by  our 
defeat  looked  forward  to  happier  times. 

"  Perhaps  the  king  will  stop  the  cruel  war,"  said  my 
mother  hopefully,  "  and  let  us  worship  God  in  peace. 
How  can  he  think  we  wish  to  harm  our  beautiful  France  ? 
We  ask  so  little  ;  surely  he  could  grant  us  our  modest 
request. 

"  I  beUeve  he  would  if  it  were  not  for  his  mother,"  I 
said,  "  and  she  is  afraid  of  the  Guises.  They  are  hand 
in  glove  with  the  Pope  and  the  Spaniards." 

"Will  Monseigneur  try  to  capture  Rochelle  ?  "  asked 
Jeanne. 

"  It  is  very  likely,  but  he  will  not  succeed  ;  Rochelle 
can  never  be  taken  by  an  enemy," 

I  stayed  very  late  with  them  that  night,  for  there 


The  Return  to  Rochelle     135 

were  many  things  to  talk  about,  and  they  were  so  glad 
to  see  me  that  even  at  the  end  I  was  loth  to  depart. 

The  next  day  my  comrades,  who  purposely  stayed 
away  on  the  previous  evening,  accompanied  me  home, 
and  were  made  much  of  by  my  mother  and  Jeanne. 

These  occasional  visits  were  like  oases  in  a  dreary 
desert.  We  tried  to  banish  aU  thoughts  of  the  war, 
and  to  talk  as  cheerfully  as  if  there  were  no  misery  in 
the  land.  But  for  Felix  and  me  these  days  of  happy 
idleness  speedily  came  to  an  end.  There  was  much  to 
be  done,  and  Coligny  needed  our  services.  Instead 
of  being  cast  down  by  his  reverse  at  Montcontour, 
our  leader  was  already  planning  a  gigantic  scheme  which 
should  help  to  repair  our  broken  fortunes. 

Meanwhile  the  garrison  at  St.  Jean  d'Angely  was 
offering  a  splendid  resistance  to  the  enemy.  Anjou 
was  pressing  the  siege  with  vigour.  King  Charles  himself 
was  in  the  trenches — I  never  held,  as  some  of  my  com- 
rades did,  that  the  king  was  a  coward — but  the  handful 
of  troops  defied  the  royal  brothers  and  all  their  force. 

One  morning  as  our  chief  came  from  his  chamber, 
the  ante-room  being  filled  with  his  gentlemen  and  the 
leaders  of  the  army,  he  stopped  and  laid  his  hand  with 
a  kindly  touch  on  my  shoulder. 

"  My  young  friend,"  he  said,  "  we  are  all  proud  of 
your  father.  The  reports  from  St.  Jean  d'Angely  de- 
clare that  he  is  the  very  heart  of  the  defence." 

"  I  thank  you,  my  lord,  for  your  kind  words,"  I 
stammered,  blushing  crimson  with  pride,  for  to  hear  my 
father  thus  honoured  was  far  sweeter  than  any  praise  of 
myself  could  have  been. 


136     The  Return  to  Rochelle 

And  a  day  or  two  later  Rochelle  was  ringing  with 
his  name.  Men  lauded  his  courage  and  prowess,  speak- 
ing of  him  almost  as  if  he  were  our  beloved  leader 
himself. 

Heading  a  body  of  troops  in  the  early  morning,  he 
had  sallied  forth,  destroyed  a  big  gun,  and  driven  the 
besiegers  pell-mell  from  the  trenches.  Anjou  had 
scowled  angrily,  but  King  Charles  was  reported  to 
have  declared  it  a  most  brilliant  feat  of  arms. 

It  was  a  proud  day  for  all  of  us,  but  our  joy  was 
shortly  changed  to  mourning.  Coligny,  with  most  of 
his  attendants,  had  left  Rochelle  for  Saintes  ;  the  rest 
of  us,  with  two  hundred  troopers,  were  to  depart 
the  next  day.  I  had  spent  the  evening  at  home,  and 
accompanied  by  Felix  had  returned  to  the  hotel. 

"  Is  that  you,  Le  Blanc  ?  "  cried  one  of  my  comrades. 
"  What  means  this  treasonable  correspondence  with 
the  enemy  ?  "  and  he  handed  me  a  sealed  packet. 

"  For  me  ?  "  I  exclaimed,  taking  it  in  surprise. 
"  Where  does  it  come  from  ?  " 

"  Ah,"  said  he,  laughing  merrily,  "  that  is  a  nice 
question  to  ask  !  One  of  Monseigneur's  rascals  brought 
it  under  a  flag  of  truce  to  the  officer  at  the  gate,  and 
he  sent  it  here,  I  should  have  put  you  under  arrest, 
and  forwarded  the  correspondence  to  the  Admiral." 

I  looked  at  the  letter  curiously,  and  with  a  vague 
feeling  of  uneasiness.  It  bore  my  name,  but  the 
handwriting  was  unfamiliar.  "  One  of  Anjou's  troopers  !" 
I  muttered. 

I  walked  slowly  away,  still  accompanied  by  Felix, 
and  carrying  the  packet  in  my  hand.     I  had  no  idea  of 


The  Return  to  Rochelle     137 

the  sender,  nor  of  the  contents,  yet  strangely  enough, 
when  we  reached  our  room,  my  fingers^trembled  so  much 
that  I  could  hardly  break  the  seal. 

"  What  is  it  ?  "  asked  Felix  anxiously.  "  What  do 
you  fear  ?  " 

"Nothing,"  I  replied  with  a  forced  laugh;  "I  am 
foolish  ;    that  is  all," 

Yes,  there  was  my  name  in  crabbed  letters  ;  I  glanced 
from  it  to  the  foot  of  the  page  :  the  letter  was  signed, 
"  Renaud  L'Estang." 

"  L'Estang  !  "  I  muttered,  "  L'Estang  !  Why,  that 
is  the  name  of  my  adventurer.  Of  course  he  is  with 
Anjou ;  but  why  should  he  write  to  me  ?  Perhaps 
'tis  to  thank  me  again,  or  to  tell  me  something  about 
Cordel !  Ah,  yes,  that  would  be  it.  He  must  have 
gathered  some  fresh  information  concerning  the  ras- 
cally lawyer  !  " 

I  gave  a  deep  sigh  of  relief,  yet  studiously  avoided 
what  he  had  written.  But  this  was  childish  folly ! 
Courage  !  What  had  I  to  fear  ?  Cordel  had  already 
done  his  worst.  We  had  lost  our  estates — it  mattered 
little  who  gained  them. 

"  Monsieur,  you  once  did  me  a  priceless  service.     I 

have  never  forgotten — shall  never  forget " — "  Just 

as  I  thought,"  I  remarked  aloud,  "  the  poor  fellow  still 
feels  under  an  obligation  to  me  !  " — "  Believe  me, 
monsieur,  it  is  with  poignant  grief  I  write  this  brief 
note." — "  Ah,"  I  continued,  "  he  has  discovered  some 
fresh  villainy.  Well,  well,  it  is  of  little  consequence." — 
"  IhavebeenwithMonseigneuratSt.  Jean  d'Angely " 

"  D'Angely  !  "  I  cried  ;  "  Felix,  he  has  been  at  the 


138    The  Return  to  Rochelle 

siege.  Read  it,  my  friend,  my  eyes  swim,  I  cannot  see 
the  letters,  they  all  run   into   one   another." — "  Your 

father  was  the  bravest." "  Oh,  Felix,  Felix,  do  you 

understand  ?  How  can  I  tell  them  ?  How  can  I 
comfort  them  ?  And  I  must  ride  away  in  the  morning 
and  leave  them  to  their  grief !  Read  it  to  me  slowly, 
dear  friend,  while  I  try  to  think." 


CHAPTER  XIII 

A  Daring  Enterprise 

After  the  lapse  of  many  years,  I  close  my  eyes,  and 
leaning  back  in  my  chair  listen  again  to  my  comrade  as 
with  tremulous  voice  he  reads  the  fatal  letter. — "Mon- 
sieur, you  once  did  me  a  priceless  service.  I  have  never 
forgotten — shall  never  forget.  Believe  me,  monsieur,  it  is 
with  poignant  grief  I  write  this  brief  note.  I  have  been 
with  Monseigneiu:  at  St.  Jean  d'Angely  throughout  the 
siege.  Your  father  was  the  bravest  man  among  our  enemies. 
His  wonderful  skill  and  courage  have  gained  the  ad- 
miration of  friend  and  foe  alike.  The  king  spoke  of  his 
bravery  with  the  highest  praise  :  Monseigneiu:  has  de- 
clared openly  that  the  Sieur  Le  Blanc  alone  stood  between 
him  and  the  capture  of  the  town.  He  has  indeed  proved 
himself  one  of  the  finest  soldiers  in  France  ;  but,  alas  ! 
monsieur,  the  Sieur  Le  Blanc  is  no  more.  He  fell  not 
an  hour  ago  at  the  head  of  his  men,  in  abriUiant  sortie. 
Remembering  j^our  kindness  to  me,  my  heart  bleeds  for 
you.  I  write  this  with  the  deepest  sorrow,  but  it  may  be 
less  painful  for  you  to  learn  of  your  loss  in  this  way  than 
to  be  tortured  by  a  rumour,  the  truth  of  which  you 
cannot  prove.     Accept  my  heartfelt  sympathy." 

"  My  father  is  dead,  FeHx,"  I  said  in  a  dazed  manner. 

139 


140        A  Daring  Enterprise 

"  He  fought  a  good  fight,"  repHed  my  comrade.  **  His 
memory  will  live  in  the  hearts  of  our  people." 

This  might  be  true,  but  the  knowledge  did  little  to 
soften  my  grief.  And  I  was  thinking  not  of  my  father 
alone — after  all  he  had  died  a  hero's  death — but  of  my 
mother  and  sister.  How  could  I  tell  them  this  mournful 
news  ?    How  could  I  comfort  them  ? 

"  Felix,"  I  said,  "  we  are  going  away  to-morrow." 

"  You  must  stay  here,"  he  said  firmly,  "  at  least  for  a 
few  days.  I  will  inform  our  patron  ;  he  is  not  likely  to 
leave  Saintes  for  a  week.  Shall  I  come  home  with  you, 
or  do  you  prefer  to  be  alone  ?  " 

"  I  will  go  alone,  Felix ;  it  will  be  better  for  them. 
I  will  join  you  at  Saintes.    Good-bye,  dear  friend." 

"  Tell  your  mother  and  sister  how  deeply  I  sympathize 
with  them,"  he  said.  "  I  would  come  with  you,  but,  as 
you  say,  perhaps  it  is  better  not." 

"  I  think  they  will  prefer  to  be  alone,"  I  answered, 
grasping  his  hand  in  farewell. 

I  went  out  into  the  deserted  street,  walking  unsteadily, 
and  hardly  conscious  of  anything  beyond  my  one  ab- 
sorbing sorrow.  I  reached  the  house  at  last,  and  in 
answer  to  my  summons  a  servant  opened  the  door.  No, 
the  ladies  had  not  retired ;    they  were  still  downstairs. 

Perhaps  my  face  betrayed  the  miserable  truth  ;  per- 
haps some  chord  of  sympathy  passed  from  me  to  them — 
I  know  not.  They  jumped  up  and  came  forward  with 
a  sudden  fear  in[their  eyes.  I  had  already  bidden  them 
farewell,  and  they  did  not  expect  to  see  me  again,  until 
I  rode  from  the  city  in  the  morning. 

My  mother  gazed  at  me  earnestly,  but  said  nothing ; 


A  Daring  Enterprise        141 

Jeanne  cried  impulsively,  "  What  is  it,  Edmond  ? 
There  is  bad  news  !  Oh,  Edmond,  is  it  about  our 
father  ?  " 

"  You  must  be  brave,"  I  said  gently,  taking  a  hand  of 
each,  "  very  brave.  Yes,  I  have  received  bad  news  from 
St.  Jean  d'Angely.  There  has  been  a  fierce  fight ;  our 
father  headed  a  sortie,  and  has  been  seriously  hurt.  He 
was  the  bravest  man  there,  every  one  says  so  from 
the  king  downwards.     Even  his  enemies  praise  him." 

"  Edmond,"  said  my  mother  quietly,  "  we  are  strong 
enough  to  bear  the  truth — is  your  father  dead  ?  " 

Words  were  not  needed  to  answer  that  question  ;  the 
answer  was  plain  in  my  face,  and  those  two  dear  ones 
understood.  Oh,  it  was  pitiful  to  see  their  white  faces, 
and  the  misery  in  their  eyes  !  And  yet  I  could  feel  a 
pride,  too,  in  their  wonderful  bravery.  They  wept 
silently  in  each  other's  arms,  and  presently  my  mother 
said  softly,  "It  is  God's  will ;  let  us  pray  to  Him  for 
strength  to  bear  our  loss." 

I  stayed  with  them  for  four  days,  ^^being  I  believe  of 
some  comfort  in  that  sorrowful  time,  and  then  my 
mother  herself  suggested  that  I  should  return  to  my 
duty. 

"  You  belong  to  the  Cause,  my  son,"  she  said, "  and 
not  to  us.  It  is  a  heavy  trial  to  let  you  go,  but  your 
father  would  have  wished  it.  Perhaps  the  good  God, 
in  His  mercy,  may  guard  you  through  all  dangers,  and 
we  may  meet  again.  But,  if  not,  we  are  in  His  hands. 
Tell  FeUx  we  thank  him  for  his  kind  message." 

"  Roger,  too,  will  grieve  for  our  loss,"  I  said.  "  He 
admired  my  father  greatly." 


142        A  Daring  Enterprise 

The  Englishmen  had  accompanied  the  Admiral,  so  that 
Roger  had  left  Rochelle  when  the  news  arrived. 

Early  on  the  morning  fixed  for  my  departure  I  wished 
my  mother  and  sister  good-bye,  and  returned  to  the  hotel. 
Coligny  was  still  at  Saintes,  and  I  waited  for  a  letter  that 
the  commandant  had  requested  me  to  deliver  to  him.  I 
had  gone  into  the  courtyard  to  see  about  my  horse 
when  a  man,  riding  in,  exclaimed,  "  Oh,  I  am  in  time, 
monsieur ;   I  feared  you  had  gone." 

"  Jacques  !  "  I  cried  with  delight,  '*  surely  you  have 
taken  a  long  while  to  travel  from  Montcontour  to 
Rochelle  !    And  yet  you  have  a  good  beast !  " 

"  As  good  an  animal  as  ever  carried  saddle  !  "  said 
Jacques,  eyeing  his  horse  complacently ;  "  but  then  I 
have  not  owned  it  long." 

"  Have  you  been  to  the  house  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur,"  and  his  face  became  grave,  "  it  was 
madame  who  told  me  where  to  find  you.  She  said  you 
were  about  to  rejoin  the  army." 

He  did  not  speak  of  my  loss,  though  it  was  plain  he 
had  heard  the  news,  and  indeed  several  days  passed 
before  the  subject  was  mentioned  between  us.  Jacques 
had  been  brought  up  in  my  father's  service,  and  he  was 
unwilling  to  talk  about  the  death  of  his  loved  master. 

"Yes,  lam  going  to  join  the  Admiral,"  I  said;  "but 
have  you  not  had  enough  of  adventures  ?  Would  you 
not  rather  stay  at  Rochelle  ?  " 

"  While  monsieur  is  wandering  about  the  country  ?  " 
he  asked.  "  Ah,"  as  a  servant  came  from  the  building, 
"  here  is  a  summons  for  monsieur  !  " 

The  commandant  had  finished  his  letter,  and  having 


A  Daring  Enterprise         143 

received  his  instructions  I  returned  to  the  court- yard, 
mounted  my  horse,  and,  followed  by  Jacques,  started 
on  my  journey.  I  weis  very  glad  of  his  company,  since 
it  took  me  out  of  myself,  and  gave  me  less  opportunity 
for  brooding. 

"  Did  Monsieur  Bellievre  and  the  Englishman  escape 
from  Montcontour  ?  "  he  asked,  as  we  reached  the  open 
country. 

"  Yes,  we  shall  meet  them  both  at  Saintes;  but  about 
yourself — I  was  afraid  you  were  killed." 

"  So  was  I,"  he  laughed.  "  Monsieur,  it  was  a  terrible 
day,  and  a  still  more  terrible  night.  Oiu:  poor  fellows 
received  httle  mercy.  Monseigneur's  troopers  gave  no 
quarter.  I  got  a  nasty  cut,  and  hid  in  a  hollow  till  all  was 
quiet ;  then  I  crawled  out,  took  my  choice  of  several 
riderless  horses,  and  rode  into  the  darkness.  [I  thought  I 
might  find  the  army  somewhere,  but  there  was  no  army 
to  be  found." 

"  No,"  I  said  rather  bitterly,  "  the  army  was  running 
to  all  the  points  of  the  compass." 

"  That's  just  what  I  was  doing,  monsieur.  What 
with  the  darkness,  and  the  pain  of  my  wound,  and  the 
fear  of  falling  into  the  hands  of  Monseigneur's  troops,  I 
lost  my  head  entirely,  and  wandered  about  in  a  circle. 
When  morning  came  I  was  hardly  a  mile  from  Montcon- 
tour. Then  some  peasants  seized  me,  and  for  once  in  my 
life  I  was  glad  to  count  a  robber  among  my  friends." 

*'  How  so  ?  " 

"  One  of  the  fellows  was  Jules  Bredin,  from  our  own 
village.  He  recognized  me,  and  as  he  possessed  some 
authority  I  came  to  no  harm.     Indeed,  they  took  me 


t44       ^  Daring  Enterprise 

to  their  camp  in  the  woods,  and  attended  to  me  until  I 
had  quite  recovered.     I  owe  Jules  a  debt  of  gratitude." 

"  On  which  side  do  these  fellows  fight  ?  " 

"  I  asked  Jules  that  question  myself,  and  he 
laughed  in  my  face.  '  My  dear  Jacques,'  said  the 
rascal,  '  we  fight  for  ourselves,  and  we  get  our  victims 
from  both  parties.  They  won't  let  us  work,  so  we  must 
earn  our  living  as  best  we  can.'  And  they  seemed  to  be 
flourishing,  monsieur.  They  had  no  lack  of  wine  and 
provisions.  Jules  never  feasted  so  well  in  his  life  before. 
But,  monsieur,  what  is  the  Admiral  doing  at  Saintes  ?  " 

"  That  I  do  not  know,  Jacques,  but  doubtless  we  shall 
soon  discover." 

Our  journey  passed  without  incident,  and  having 
delivered  the  despatch  I  sought  my  comrades.  Roger  had 
by  this  time  been  made  acquainted  with  my  loss,  and 
both  he  and  Felix  showed  me  the  greatest  kindness.  It 
was  pleasant  to  feel  that  one  possessed  such  trusty 
friends. 

"  You  have  arrived  just  in  time,"  said  Felix,  "  for  we 
march  in  the  morning." 

"  March  ?  "  I  asked  in  surprise,  "  where  ?  " 

"Somewhere  to  the  south,  I  believe;  but  the  Admiral 
keeps  his  plans  close.  But  you  may  be  sure  he  isn't 
going  to  offer  Anjou  battle.  We  scarcely  number  three 
thousand,  counting  the  handful  of  infantry." 

"  Not  a  large  number  with  which  to  conquer  a  king- 
dom !  "  laughed  Roger. 

"  We  shall  get  more,"  said  Felix,  who  had  recovered 
his  spirits,  and  was  as  sanguine  as  ever.  "  Coligny's  name 
alone  will  attract  men  to  the  standard.    Why,  surely 


A  Daring  Enterprise        145 

that  must  be  Jacques  !  "  as  my  servant  approached. 
"  Jacques,  you  rascal,  I  thought  you  had  deserted  us  at 
Montcontour  !  " 

"  I  think  it  was  the  other  way  about,  monsieur," 
rephed   Jacques  sUly.     "  I   stayed   at   Montcontour." 

"  Ah,  a  good  thrust !  "  cried  my  comrade  merrily, 
"  a  good  thrust !  But  whichever  way  it  is  I  am  glad 
to  see  you  again,  Jacques.  We  are  sadly  in  need  of 
strong  arms  and  stout  hearts." 

"  Well,  monsieur,  I  have  been  round  the  camp,  and 
certainly  I  think  the  Admiral  is  quite  equal  to  com- 
manding a  larger  army." 

"  You  should  not  regard  mere  numbers,  Jacques  ;  it 
is  the  quality  that  tells.  Three  thousand  picked  men 
are  worth  ten  thousand  ordinary  troops.  And  then 
our  chief  is  as  good  as  an  army  in  himself !  " 

To  those  who  had  fought  at  Roche  Abeille,  our  camp 
presented  a  somewhat  sorry  spectacle.  As  Felix  had 
said,  we  numbered  barely  three  thousand  men,  and  one 
missed  a  host  of  familiar  faces.  I  thought  with  pity  of 
the  noble  St.  Cyr,  and  many  others  of  our  best  and 
bravest  who  had  already  laid  down  their  lives  for  the 
Cause. 

We  retired  to  rest  early,  and  soon  after  daybreak 
were  roused  by  the  bugles.  Tents  were  struck,  prayers 
said,  and  about  nine  o'clock  we  moved  off  the  grotmd  in 
the  direction  of  the  Dordogne. 

It  would  be  tedious  to  relate  in  detail  the  incidents 
of  that  southern  journey.  The  weather  was  bitterly  cold 
and  rainy,  much  sickness  set  in,  and  we  suffered  numerous 
hardships.    Still  we  pushed  steadily  forward,  through 

F.A.  10 


146        A  Daring  Enterprise. 

Guienne,  Ronergue,  and  Quercy,  passed  the  Lot  below  Cad- 
ence, and  halted  at  Montauban.  Here  we  were  cheered 
by  the  arrival  of  Montgomery,  with  two  thousand  Bear- 
nese,  a  welcome  addition  to  our  scanty  force. 

Smaller  bodies  of  troops  had  already  joined  us,  and  after 
leaving  Montauban  we  picked  up  several  more.  Felix,  of 
course,  was  in  excellent  spirits,  and  talked  as  if  we  had 
the  whole  kingdom  at  our  feet. 

"  But  where  are  we  going  ?  "  I  asked  in  bewilderment, 
"  and  what  are  we  going  to  do  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know,  my  dear  Edmond,"  he  replied  gaily. 
"  It  is  enough  for  me  that  Coligny  leads.  I  warrant  he 
has  some  brilliant  scheme  in  his  head." 

From  Montauban  we  marched  up  the  Garonne  to 
Toulouse,  and  finally  found  ourselves  at  Narbonne,  where 
we  went  into  winter  quarters.  Roger  was,  of  course,  with 
his  own  troop,  but  Felix  and  I  were  billeted  in  the  same 
house,  much  to  our  satisfaction. 

After  our  long  and  painful  march,  the  comfort  which 
we  met  with  at  Narbonne  was  exceedingly  welcome,  and 
week  after  week  glided  rapidly  away.  Toward  the  end 
of  the  winter  several  hundred  men  came  in  from  the 
surrounding  districts,  and  our  army  began  to  present 
quite  a  respectable  appearance. 

Many  conjectures  were  made  as  to  our  leader's  inten- 
tions, but  he  kept  his  own  counsel,  and  even  we  of  his 
household  had  no  inkling  of  the  gigantic  scheme  forming 
in  his  mind.  Some  said  he  meant  to  establish  a  separ- 
ate kingdom  in  the  south,  to  which  those  of  the  Religion 
in  all  parts  of  the  country  would  flock  ;  but  this  idea  was 
scouted  by  those  who  knew  his  intense  love  of  France. 


A  Daring  Enterprise        147 

Besides,  as  Felix  remarked,  we  should  have  to  abandon 
La  Rochelle,  and  such  a  proceeding  as  that  was  in- 
credible. 

"  Into  harness  again,  Edmond,"  exclaimed  my  com- 
rade excitedly,  one  morning,  coming  from  his  attendance 
on  the  Admiral.  "  Boot  and  saddle,  and  the  tented 
field  once  more.  We  leave  Narbonne  in  a  week  ;  aren't 
you  glad  ?  " 

"  Upon  my  word  I  am  not  sorry.  Where  do  we  go  ? 
Is  the  mystery  solved  ?  " 

"  No,"  he  said,  laughing  good-humouredly,  "  the  chief 
still  keeps  his  secret.  But  when  it  does  leak  out  I 
fancy  there  will  be  a  surprise  for  us." 

The  news  soon  spread,  and  the  town  was  filled 
with  bustle  and  animation.  Every  one  was  busy  with 
his  preparations,  and  from  morning  till  night  the  streets 
were  crowded  with  men  and  horses,  and  with  wagons  for 
carrying  the  provisions  and  stores.  Our  da5rs  of  idle- 
ness were  over ;  we  had  no  rest  now .  Felix  and  I 
were  ever  hurrying  from  place  to  place,  carrying  orders 
and  instructions  to  the  different  leaders. 

At  last  the  day  came  when  with  cheerful  confidence 
we  marched  out  from  the  town  that  had  been  our  winter 
home.  The  sick  had  recovered  their  health,  every 
one  was  strong  and  vigorous,  the  horses  were  in  capital 
condition,  and  we  all  looked  forward  to  a  successful  cam- 
paign, though  without  the  shghtest  idea  where  it  would 
take  place. 

I  had  thought  it  most  probable  that  we  should  retrace 
our  steps  to  Toulouse,  but  instead  we  speedily  struck 
eastward.    What  did  our  leader  intend  doing  ?    was 


148        A  Daring  Enterprise 

the  question  asked  by  every  one  that  night,  and  which 
no  one  could  answer.  A  few  of  the  troops  showed  some 
concern,  but  the  majority  shared  my  comrade's 
opinion. 

"  What  does  it  matter  where  we  go,"  said  he,  "  as 
long  as  Cohgny  leads  us  ?  It  is  for  him  to  form  the  plan, 
and  for  us  to  carry  it  out." 

"  We  are  going  farther  away  from  Rochelle,"  I  re- 
marked. 

"  Rochelle  can  look  after  itself,  Edmond.  It  would 
help  the  Cause  considerably  if  Anjou  would  besiege  the 
city  ;  but  he  won't.  As  to  this  march,  the  Admiral  will 
explain  his  intentions  when  he  thinks  well." 

It  was  at  Nismes  that  Coligny  first  revealed  his  pur- 
pose, and  it  came  on  most  of  us  as  a  thunder-clap.  In- 
stead of  returning  to  the  scenes  of  our  former  struggles, 
we  were  to  cross  the  Rhone,  march  through  Dauphigny, 
and  threaten  Paris  from  the  east.  The  proposal  was  so 
bold  and  audacious  that  it  fairly  took  away  our  breath, 
and  we  gazed  at  each  other  in  astonishment.  But  the 
hot-headed  ones,  and  Felix  among  them,  cheered  the 
speech  with  all  the  vigour  of  their  lungs,  more  than  making 
up  for  the  silence  of  the  rest. 

"  Soldiers,"  said  the  Admiral,  "  there  are  my  plans, 
but  I  do  not  force  you  to  obey  me.  Those  whose  courage 
fails  must  stop  behind  and  return  to  their  homes,  but  I 
will  march  though  not  more  than  five  hundred  should 
follow  my  banner.  Think  well  before  you  agree.  The 
journey  is  long,  perilous  and  full  of  hardship.  We  shall 
find  few  friends  and  many  enemies  ;  our  provisions 
may  fail,  and  Monscigncur  will  certainly  send  a  strong 


A  Daring  Enterprise        149 

army  to  bar  our  passage.  It  is  an  undertaking  for  only 
the  bravest ;  the  weak-kneed  will  but  hinder." 

"  We  will  follow  you  to  the  death,  my  lord,"  cried 
Felix  impetuously,  and  thousands  of  voices  took  up  the 
bold  cry. 

"I  will  ask  you  to-morrow," said  our  chief;  "for 
when  once  we  have  started  I  must  have  no  faltering,  nor 
turning  back." 

That  same  evening  Felix  and  I  went  over  to  the 
Englishmen's  camp.  I  had  expected  to  find  some  traces 
of  excitement,  and  to  hear  them  discussing  whether  they 
should  embark  on  the  hazardous  venture.  Instead  of 
that  they  were  lounging  about  as  carelessly  as  if  we  had 
brought  the  war  to  a  successful  conclusion. 

Roger  came  towards  us  smiling.  "  Well,"  said  he 
"  your  general  has  sprung  a  surprise  on  us  !  " 

"  Will  your  comrades  go  with  us  ?  "  I  asked.  "  Have 
they  talked  the  matter  over  yet  ?  " 

"  What  is  there  to  talk  over  ?  We  are  here  to  help, 
not  to  say  what  you  shall  do.  Of  course  we  shall  go. 
One  part  of  France  is  the  same  to  us  as  another  ;  but  I 
fancy  some  of  your  own  troops  will  elect  to  remain 
behind." 

"  'Tis  quite  possible,"  I  replied.  "  The  venture  is  a 
daring  one." 

"  The  majority  will  march,"  declared  Felix  with  en- 
thusiasm ;  "  a  few  of  the  southerners  may  prefer  to  guard 
their  own  districts,  but  that  is  aU.  I  knew  Coligny 
had  some  gigantic  scheme  in  his  head,  but  never 
dreamed  of  this.  It  is  glorious  ;  it  will  be  the  talk  of 
Europe." 


150        A  Daring  Enterprise 

"  If  it  succeed,"  said  Roger  drily,  "  it  will  matter  little 
whether  Europe  talks  or  not ;  but  in  any  case  Coligny  is 
staking  everything  on  one  throw.  If  we  get  beaten,  he 
cannot  expect  to  raise  another  army." 

"  Do  not  let  us  think  of  defeat,"  I  said,  "  and  we  shall 
stand  a  better  chance  of  winning  a  victory.  There  is  no 
sense  in  gazing  at  the  black  clouds  when  we  can  as 
easily  look  at  the  bright  sunshine." 


CHAPTER   XIV 

Scouting  for  Coligny 

As  Roger  had  prophesied,  not  all  the  Huguenot  soldiers 
were  prepared  to  follow  their  intrepid  leader  ;  but  on 
that  memorable  April  morning  of  1570  we  swung  out 
from  Nismes  some  five  thousand  strong,  all  horsemen, 
for  Cohgny  had  mounted  the  three  thousand  arque- 
busiers  who  formed  the  major  part  of  our  force. 

The  journey  from  Saintes  to  Narbonne  had  been 
tedious,  and,  because  of  the  bitter  winter  cold,  full  of 
hardship,  but  we  had  not  met  with  opposition.  Now 
we  were  launched  straight  into  the  midst  of  a  hostile 
district  filled  with  the  king's  troops,  and  few  days 
passed  without  some  skirmish,  in  which,  though  petty 
enough,  we  could  ill  afford  to  engage. 

It  seems  little  to  put  down  on  paper — how  we  rode 
hour  after  hour,  often  with  insufficient  food;  how  we 
watched  at  night,  sometimes  springing  to  arms  at  a  false 
alarm,  and  more  than  once  having  to  fight-  desperately 
to  beat  off  a  svu-prise  attack  ;  but  it  was  a  stiff  business 
for  those  who  went  through  with  it. 

We  were,  however,  in  good  spirits,  and  pushed  on 

151 


152        Scouting  for  Coligny 

steadily  day  after  day,  picking  up  a  few  recruits  here 
and  there  to  strengthen  our  army.  The  men  were 
sturdy,  resolute  fellows,  full  of  zeal  for  the  Cause,  and 
ready  to  lay  down  their  lives  for  the  Admiral,  to  whom 
they  were  devoted. 

How  wholly  dependent  we  were  upon  him,  in  spite 
of  the  presence  of  Prince  Henry  and  young  Conde, 
became  plain  when  he  was  taken  ill  at  St.  Etienne. 
The  march  was  stopped  abruptly,  and  for  three  weeks 
we  waited  in  fear  and  doubt,  asking  ourselves  anxiously 
what  would  happen  if  he  died. 

Even  the  sanguine  Felix  admitted  that  without  him 
the  enterprise  would  result  in  failure,  but  fortun- 
ately the  Admiral  recovered,  and  we  resumed  our 
march. 

The  halt  which  we  were  forced  to  make  at  St.  Etienne 
had  done  us  considerable  service.  Horses  and  men 
alike  were  broken  down  by  fatigue,  loss  of  sleep,  and 
scanty  rations,  and  the  long  rest  had  restored  their 
strength.  Shortly  before  leaving,  too,  a  body  of  cavalry, 
fifteen  hundred  strong,  had  ridden  into  camp  amidst 
the  acclamations  of  the  assembled  troops. 

"  Now,"  said  Felix  joyously,  "  Monseigneur  can  meet 
us  as  soon  as  he  likes." 

After  leaving  St.  Etienne  we  soon  discovered  that 
the  worst  part  of  the  journey  was  still  before  us.  Our 
way  lay  over  rugged  crests,  and  along  the  edge  of  steep 
precipices  overhanging  gloomy  chasms.  Nothing  save 
a  few  chestnut  trees,  whose  fruit  was  not  yet  ripe,  grew 
on  that  bare,  stony  ground,  while  the  only  animals 
were  small,  stunted  sheep,  and  mountain  goats. 


Scouting  for  Coligny      153 

.  Here  and  there  we  passed  a  tiny  hamlet,  but  for  the 
most  part  we  marched  thi'oiigh  a  wild  and  desolate 
solitude,  through  steep  and  gloomy  gorges  with  rapid 
torrents  thundering  at  the  bottom.  In  the  upper 
passes  the  snow  lay  deep,  and  more  than  once  as  we 
stumbled  along  a  piercing  shriek  told  us  that  some 
unfortunate  animal,  missing  its  footing,  had  hurled  its 
wretched  rider  into  eternity. 

At  length,  to  the  loudly  expressed  joy  of  every  man 
in  the  army,  we  left  the  gloomy  wilderness  behind,  and 
emerged  into  a  rich  and  smiling  valley.  The  animals 
neighed  with  delight  on  seeing  the  fresh  sweet  grass, 
and  we  who  had  shivered  with  the  bitter  cold  in  the 
mountain  passes  rejoiced  at  the  glorious  warmth  of 
the  sun. 

But  now  we  had  to  proceed  with  far  greater  caution, 
since  at  any  moment  a  royalist  army  might  swoop 
down  upon  us.  Sharp-sighted  scouts  rode  ahead  and 
on  our  flanks,  while  messengers  frequently  arrived 
bringing  information  for  our  general.  According  to 
these  accounts  Monseigneur  was  still  in  the  west,  but 
Marshal  Coss^  had  been  despatched  with  a  strong  army 
to  oppose  us. 

We  had  halted  for  the  night  some  ten  miles  or  so 
from  Amay-le-Duc,  and  I  was  gossiping  with  Roger 
Braund  and  several  of  the  Englishmen — their  numbers 
by  this  time,  alas !  had  thinned  considerably — when 
FeHx  came  up  hastily,  his  eyes  shining  with  keen 
excitement. 

"  Any  fresh  news  ?  "  asked  Roger. 

"  Nothing   certain,"   my   comrade   answered,    *'  but 


154        Scouting  for  Coligny 

Coss^  is  reported  to  be  at  or  near  Arnay-le-Duc. 
Edmond  are  you  for  a  ride  ?  " 

"  With  all  my  heart,"  said  I,  "  but  where  ?  " 

"  To  find  out  what  we  can  about  Cosse.  I  have  the 
Admiral's  instructions.  I  told  Jacques  to  saddle  your 
horse  ;    but  you  must  hurry." 

"  Good-night,  Roger ;  good-night,  gentlemen,"  I 
said,  laughing ;  "  you  can  sleep  soundly,  knowing  that 
we  are  awake." 

"  Take  care  !  "  laughed  Roger  good-humouredly, 
"  and  don't  let  that  madcap  get  you  into  mischief.  I 
shouldn't  be  surprised  if  he  tries  to  get  his  information 
from  Cosse  himself." 

"  I  would,"  declared  Felix  merrily,  "  if  he  gave  me 
half  a  chance  ;  but  we  must  really  go  ;  the  Admiral  " — 
and  he  drew  himself  up  with  an  air  of  assumed  import- 
ance— "  depends  upon  us." 

"  Good-bye,"  laughed  Roger,  "  you  won't  be  a 
prisoner  long ;  we  will  capture  the  marshal  and  ex- 
change him  for  you  !  " 

"  Monseigneur  would  make  a  poor  bargain  if  he  agreed 
to  that  1  "  said  my  comrade,  as  we  went  off  light- 
heartedly. 

"  ShaU  we  take  Jacques  ?  "  I  asked,  as  we  hurried 
along. 

"  He  has  settled  that  question  for  himself,"  returned 
Felix  in  high  glee ;  "  he  is  saddling  his  own  animal  as 
well  as  ours." 

"  What  does  the  Admiral  wish  to  learn  ?  " 

"  The  enemy's  numbers.  The  reports  are  con- 
flicting   and    range    from    five    thousand    to    thirty. 


Scouting  for  Coligny       155 

but  we  will  discover  the  truth  for  ourselves  before 
the  morning." 

"  At  any  rate  we  will  do  our  best.  There  is 
Jacques ;  he  has  lost  little  time ;  the  horses  are 
ready.     My  pistols,  Jacques  !  " 

"  They  are  in  the  holsters,  monsieur,  and  loaded." 

"  Into  the  saddle  then  !  Have  you  the  password, 
Felix  ?  " 

"  Yes  ;    'tis  Roche  Abeille." 

"  A  good  choice  !  'Tis  an  omen  of  success.  Have 
you  any  idea  of  the  proper  direction  ?  " 

"  I  can  find  the  way  easily  to  Amay-le-Duc  ;  I  have 
had  a  long  talk  with  one  of  the  couriers." 

Having  passed  our  last  outpost,  where  we  stayed  to 
chat  for  a  moment  with  the  officer  in  command,  we 
proceeded  at  a  brisk  pace,  my  comrade  feeling  assured 
that  we  should  not  meet  an  enemy  during  the  first 
six  miles.  After  that  distance  we  went  more  slowly 
and  with  greater  caution,  for  if  the  marshal  was  really 
at  Amay-le-Duc,  his  patrols  were  probably  scouring 
the  neighbourhood. 

About  four  miles  from  the  town  we  entered  the 
street  of  a  straggling  village.  It  was  a  half  after  ten ; 
the  lights  in  the  cottages  were  out ;  the  villagers  had 
retired  to  bed. 

"  Shall  we  do  any  good  by  knocking  up  the  landlord 
of  the  inn  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  What  say  you,  Jacques  ?  " 

"  We  shall  probably  learn  the  village  gossip,  and 
if  the  marshal  is  anywhere  near  Arnay-le-Duc  it  will 
be  known  here." 


156         Scouting  for  Coligny 

"  True,"  said  my  comrade  ;  "  let  us  lead  the  animals 
into  the  yard.     Edmond,  hammer  at  the  door  !  " 

The  landlord  was  in  bed,  but  he  came  down  quickly, 
and,  having  shown  us  into  his  best  room,  proceeded  to 
draw  the  wine  which  Felix  ordered. 

"  You  are  in  bed  early,"  I  remarked  on  his  return. 
"  Have  you  no  guests  in  the  house  ?  " 

"  None,  monsieur." 

"  We  expected  to  meet  with  some  of  the  king's  troops 
here  :  have  they  passed  through  already  ?  " 

"  There  have  been  no  soldiers  in  the  village,  mon- 
sieur." 

"  But  surely  they  are  close  at  hand  !  " 

"  If  monsieur  means  Marshal  Cosse's  army,  it  is  ten 
miles  off.  At  least  Philippe  said  so  when  he  came 
home  this  evening." 

"  Who  is  Philippe  ?  " 

"  He  lives  in  the  village,  monsieur ;  he  could  guide 
you  to  the  soldiers.    Shall  I  fetch  him  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  "  and  waste  no  time.  Jacques," 
and  I  glanced  at  my  servant  meaningly,  "  you  might 
go  with  the  worthy  host." 

They  returned  in  less  than  half  an  hour,  bringing 
with  them  a  short,  thin  man,  spare  in  build,  but  tough 
and  wiry.  His  eyes  were  sharp  and  bright,  and  his 
face  was  shrewd  and  full  of  intelligence. 

"  Are  you  a  good  Catholic,  Philippe  ?  "  I  asked. 

His  glance  passed  from  me  to  Felix  and  back  again 
so  swiftly  that  he  might  never  have  taken  his  gaze  from 
my  face.  Then  he  said  with  the  most  natural  hesitation 
in  the  world,  and  as  if  fully  expecting  to  suffer  for  his 


Scouting  for  Coligny       157 

confession,  "  I  hope  monsieur  will  not  be  offended,  but 
I  belong  to  the  Rehgion." 

"  Faith,  Philippe,"  I  said,  "  I  guessed  you  were 
slirewd  ;  you  are  the  very  fellow  for  our  purpose.  Since 
you  belong  to  the  Religion  " — the  rascal's  lips  twitched 
ever  so  slightly — "  you  will  have  no  scruple  in  helping 
us.    We  are  of  the  Rehgion,  too." 

"Is  it  possible,  monsieur  ?  "  he  said,  with  a  star 
of  well-feigned  surprise. 

"Now  listen  to  me,"  I  continued;  "you  know 
where  the  marshal's  army  is.  Don't  contradict ;  it 
will  be  useless." 

"  I  am  attending,  monsieur." 

"  We  want  to  see  this  army,  but  we  do  not  wish 
to  introduce  ourselves  to  the  soldiers.  Now  a  sharp 
guide,  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  district,  can 
easily  lead  us  to  a  place  from  which  we  can  learn  all 
we  want  to  know.    Is  not  that  a  good  scheme  ?  " 

"  It  has  one  serious  drawback,  monsieur." 

"  Speak  on  ;    we  are  listening." 

"  If  the  guide  should  be  caught  by  the  king's  troops 
he  would  be  hanged." 

"  That  is  awkward,  certainly.  On  the  other  hand, 
if  he  refuses  to  go  he  will  die  by  the  sword.  You  are 
a  sensible  man,  Philippe,  and  will  see  the  force  of  my 
remarks.  Now,  which  is  it  to  be  ?  Will  you  earn  a 
few  crowns  by  taking  the  risk,  or  will  you  lose  your  life 
at  once  ?  " 

"  Truly,  monsieur,"  said  he,  after  a  pause,  "  you 
place  me  in  an  unpleasant  position  ;  but  since  there 
is  no  way  out  of  it,  I  will  do  as  you  wish." 


158        Scouting  for  Coligny 

"  A  sensible  answer,  and  there  is  but  one  thing  more 
to  add.  If  you  are  thinking  to  play  us  false,  we  count 
three  swords  and  six  loaded  pistols,  and  you  cannot 
reasonably  expect  to  escape  them  all." 

"  Monsieur's  kindness  in  pointing  out  these  things 
is  truly  touching  !  "  exclaimed  the  rascal  with  a  broad 
grin. 

"  My  friend  is  noted  for  such  kindness !  "  laughed 
Felix.  "  And  now  let  us  get  into  the  saddle.  Is  there 
a  spare  horse  in  the  stables,  landlord  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur,"  replied  our  host,  whose  limbs 
were  shaking  through  fright. 

"  Then  we  shall  use  it  for  Philippe.  Don't  be  afraid ; 
we  will  pay  you  for  the  hire." 

"  Monsieur  is  very  good." 

"  And  a  word  in  your  ear,  landlord.  On  our  return, 
do  not  let  us  find  that  your  tongue  has  been  wagging  !  " 

We  rode  out  from  the  inn  yard,  Jacques  and  Philippe 
in  front,  Felix  and  I  following. 

"  He  is  a  clever  rascal,"  remarked  Felix  in  a  low 
voice ;"  he  is  no  Huguenot." 

"  If  he  is,"  I  replied  laughing  quietly,  "  'twas  a  quick 
conversion.  He  was  certainly  a  good  Catholic  until 
he  had  taken  note  of  our  dress.  But  the  fellow  will 
guide  us  aright,  for  his  own  sake.  He  is  quick  enough 
to  calculate  the  chances." 

Occasionally  one  or  other  of  us  cantered  forward  and 
rode  a  short  distance  by  his  side,  while  Jacques  watched 
him  constantly  with  the  eyes  of  a  hawk.  But  the 
fellow,  who  was  keen  enough  to  understand  that  treachery 
would  result  in  his  own  death,  whatever  else  happened, 


Scouting  for  Coligny       159 

led  us  very  carefully  across  country  and  right  away 
from  the  beaten  tracks  until  about  three  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  when  he  came  to  a  halt  on  the  top  of  a 
wooded  hill. 

"  Very  softly  !  "  he  whispered,  "  we  are  in  the  rear 
of  the  army,  but  there  may  be  some  sentries  at  hand. 
When  day  breaks  we  shall  see  the  camp  almost  at 
our  feet." 

I  bade  Jacques  lead  the  animals  deeper  into  the  wood, 
lest  they  should  attract  attention ;  then  Felix  and  I 
lay  down  with  the  guide  between  us. 

"  So  far,  Philippe,  you  have  served  us  well,"  whis- 
pered my  comrade.  "  You  will  pocket  those  crowns 
yet !  " 

"  Hush,  monsieur ;  a  single  sound  may  cost  us  our 
lives." 

This  was  true,  so  we  lay  silent,  watching  for  the 
breaking  of  dawn.  Little  by  little  the  night  haze  cleared 
away ;  the  light  broke  through  the  clouds  ;  the  sun 
rose,  lighting  up  first  the  distant  hills,  and  presently 
revealing  the  secret  of  the  plain  beneath.  The  bugles 
sounded  ;  men  came  from  their  tents,  rubbing  their 
eyes  still  burdened  with  sleep,  and  before  long  all  the 
camp  was  astir. 

"Guns!"  said  Felix;  "how  many  do  you  make, 
Edmond  ?  " 

"  Six,"  I  replied,  after  a  careful  survey. 

"  I  can  count  six,  too,"  he  said.  "  According  to 
our  spies  the  marshal  had  no  guns." 

I  nudged  our  guide,  saying,  "  What  is  the  number 
of  the  troops  down  there  ?  *' 


t6o         Scouting  for  Coligny 

"  Fifteen  thousand  infantry,  and  six  thousand  horse- 
men, monsieur,"  he  answered  promptly. 

"  It  may  be  so,"  I  said,  "  but  we  shall  be  better  able 
to  judge  when  they  are  ready  to  march." 

For  two  hours  we  lay  flat  on  the  ground,  with  our 
eyes  fixed  on  the  camp,  never  changing  our  position, 
and  speaking  hardly  a  word.  We  watched  the  cavalry 
feed  and  groom  the  animals,  and  saw  the  troops  sit 
down  to  breakfast.  Then  a  body  of  horsemen,  about 
fifty  or  sixty  in  number,  rode  out  from  the  camp  in 
the  direction  of  Amay-le-Duc. 

•  After  a  while  the  troops  fell  in,  and  a  number  of 
richly-dressed  officers  rode  along  the  lines,  as  if  to  inspect 
them. 

"  Jacques,"  I  said  softly,  for  all  this  time  he  had 
remained  with  the  animals,  "  if  you  can  leave  the  horses, 
come  here." 

In  two  or  three  minutes  he  had  crept  close  up  to  us, 
and  was  looking  steadily  at  the  camp. 

"  How  many,  Jacques  ?  "  I  asked,  for  he  was  an 
old  campaigner,  with  far  more  experience  than  either 
Felix  or  I  possessed. 

"  'Tis  a  nice  little  army,"  he  said  after  a  time,  "  but " — 
with  a  sidelong  glance  at  Philippe —  "no  match  for 
ours.  Why,  the  Marshal  has  hardly  more  than  four 
thousand  horsemen,  with  thirteen  thousand  infantry  at 
the  outside." 

"My  own  estimate!"  exclaimed  Felix;  "what  do 
you  say,  Edmond  ?  " 

"  One  can  easily  make  a  mistake  at  this  work,"  I 


Scouting  for  Coligny      i6i 

answered,  "but  I  should  think  your  guess  is  not  far 
from  the  truth." 

"  Then  we  need  stay  no  longer.  Come,"  to  the 
guide,  "lead  us  back  safely,  and  the  crowns  are 
yours." 

Stealing  very  quietly  and  cautiously  into  the  wood, 
we  took  our  horses  by  the  bridle,  and  led  them — Jacques 
going  in  front  and  closely  followed  by  our  guide — along 
a  narrow  path,  away  from  the  camp.  At  the  end  of 
the  wood  we  mounted,  and,  riding  in  twos,  set  out 
briskly  on  the  return  journey. 

Thanks  to  Philippe,  we  reached  the  inn  without 
mishap,  paid  the  landlord,  who  was  evidently  svu-prised 
at  seeing  us  again,  for  the  loan  of  his  horse,  and  handed 
our  guide  his  promised  reward. 

"  Put  the  crowns  in  your  purse,  my  man,"  said  Felix, 
"  and  for  your  own  sake  I  should  advise  you  not  to 
open  your  lips.  Marshal  Cosse  may  not  be  too  pleased 
with  your  night's  work." 

We  cantered  off  at  a  sharp  pace,  eager  to  acquaint 
the  Admired  with  our  success,  and  had  covered  a  little 
more  than  half  the  distance,  when,  on  turning  a  bend 
in  the  road,  we  perceived  about  a  dozen  horsemen 
galloping  full  tilt  towards  us. 

"  King's  men  !  "  cried  Jacques  quickly.  "  A  patrol 
from  the  camp  on  their  way  back." 

"  We  must  ride  through  them  !  "  exclaimed  Felix. 
"  'Tis  our  only  chance.  All  three  abreast,  Jacques. 
Ready  ?  " 

There  being  no  other  way  out  of  the  business,  except 
that  of  standing  still  to  be  captured,  we  drew  our  swords 

F.A.  II 


1 62         Scouting  for   Coligny 

and,  crying  "  For  the  Admiral !  "  dashed  boldly  at 
them.  They  were  riding  in  no  sort  of  order,  but  straggled 
along  loosely,  each  intent,  it  seemed  to  me,  on  getting 
first.  They  were  clearly  surprised  at  encountering  us, 
and,  beyond  a  few  hasty  sword-strokes  in  passing, 
— and  these  did  no  damage — made  no  effort  to  oppose 
our  passage. 

Several  yards  behind  the  main  body  two  men  were 
stumbling  along  on  wounded  horses.  They  themselves 
were  hurt  also,  and  both  promptly  surrendered  at  our 
challenge. 

"  Faith  !  "  cried  Felix,  "  this  is  a  queer  proceeding. 
Ah,  there  is  the  reason,"  as  a  strong  patrol  of  our  own 
men  came  thundering  along.  The  leader  pointed 
ahead  with  his  sword,  as  if  asking  a  question,  and 
Felix  exclaimed  quickly,  "  They  are  in  front ;  their 
horses  are  getting  blown." 

We  drew  aside  to  give  them  room,  as  they  galloped 
past  in  a  cloud  of  dust,  and  then  my  comrade,  turning 
to  Jacques,  said,  "  Can  you  manage  the  prisoners, 
Jacques  ?    We  must  hurry  on." 

My  servant  produced  a  loaded  pistol.  "  I  am  well 
provided,  monsieur,"  he  answered.  "  I  think  these 
gentlemen  will  not  give  trouble." 

"Very  good.  Take  your  time;  I  expect  our  troo])s 
are  on  the  march.  Forward,  Edmond,"  and,  setting 
spurs  to  our  horses,  we  galloped  off. 

All  danger  was  over  now,  and  before  long  we  caught 
sight  of  the  advanced-guard  of  our  army. 

"  Can  you  tell  us  where  to  find  the  general  ?  "  asked 
Felix  of  an  ofi&cer,  as  we  pulled  up. 


Scouting  for  Coligny      163 

"  He  is  with  the  centre,  monsieur.  Have  you  seen  the 
enemy  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  I  answered,  riding  on,  "  and  there  will  be 
some  stirring  work  soon  !  " 


CHAPTER   XV 
A  Glorious  Triumph 

CoLiGNY  was  riding  ^vith  a  group  of  his  principal  officers 
when  we  drew  up,  and  he  greeted  us  with  a  kindly 
smile. 

"  Here  are  our  knights-errant,"  said  he,  "  let  us 
hear  what  they  have  to  say.  Have  you  seen  the  enemy, 
BeUidvre  ?  " 

"  Yes,  my  lord ;  their  camp  is  a  few  miles  beyond 
Arnay-le-Duc.  They  were  preparing  to  march  when  we 
left,  though  they  seemed  to  be  in  no  particular  hurry. 
The  officers  were  holding  some  sort  of  inspection." 

"  Did  you  get  close  to  them  ?  " 

"  We  had  a  clear  view  of  the  whole  camp  from  the  top 
of  a  wooded  hill  in  the  rear." 

"  And  you  have  formed  some  idea  of  their  numbers  ?  " 

"  There  were  three  of  us,  my  lord,  and  we  were  all 
fairly  well  agreed.  The  marshal  has  six  guns,  between 
four  and  five  thousand  cavalry,  and  about  thirteen 
thousand  infantry." 

"  Do  you  agree  with  that  statement,  Le  Blanc  ?  " 

"  The  numbers  are  a  little  over  my  calculation,  my 
lord  ;   but  not  much." 

*'  In  any  case,  you  think  the  figures  are  high  enough  ?  " 

164 


A  Glorious  Triumph       165 

"  That  is  absolutely  certain,"  I  replied. 

"  Good  !    We  owe  you  both  our  best  thanks." 

They  were  simple  words,  simply  spoken,  but  they  went 
straight  to  our  hearts,  amply  repaying  us  for  the  risks 
attendant  on  our  night's  adventure. 

Marching  slowly,  and  halting  two  or  three  times  during 
the  day,  as  the  general  wished  to  husband  his  men's 
strength,  we  arrived  early  in  the  evening  at  a  little  stream 
near  Arnay-le-Duc,  and  beheld,  on  the  other  side,  two 
or  three  thousand  of  the  royalist  cavalry.  There  were 
no  guns  in  sight,  and  the  infantry  had  been  drawn  up  at 
some  distance  in  the  background. 

The  troops  took  their  supper — a  very  meagre  one,  too  ; 
our  provisions  being  at  a  low  ebb — sentries  were  posted, 
and  Coligny  made  all  arrangements  for  battle,  in  case 
the  enemy  should  attack  before  morning. 

"  There  is  Roger  coming  towards  us  !  "  I  exclaimed, 
as  we  lay  wrapped  in  our  cloaks  on  the  ground. 

"  He  has  come  to  discover  if  we  are  are  still  alive  !  " 
said  my  comrade. 

"  You  are  wrong,"  laughed  the  Englishman,  dropping 
down  beside  us ;  "  Jacques  told  me  he  had  kept  you  from 
coming  to  grief.  I  congratulate  you  on  having  such  a 
servant.  But,  seriously,  I  am  glad  to  see  you  back; 
the  errand  was  rather  venturesome  for  such  young  per- 
sons," and  he  laughed  again  in  his  rich,  musical 
voice. 

"  Go  away,"  said  Felix,  "  before  I  am  tempted  to 
chastise  you.  It  would  be  a  pity  to  lose  your  services 
for  to-morrow  !  " 

"  It  would,"  agreed  our  friend.    "  By  the  look  of 


1 66        A  Glorious  Triumph 

things,  Coligny  will  need  all  the  swords  he  can  muster. 
Did  you  find  out  anything  about  the  enemy's  strength  ? " 

We  gave  him  the  figures,  and  he  remarked:  "The 
odds  are  heavy  enough  in  all  conscience,  seeing  that  we 
count  barely  six  thousand  men.  Still,  they  are  picked 
troops." 

"  And  they  have  their  backs  against  the  wall,"  I  ob- 
served. "  There  was  a  chance  of  escape  at  Montcon- 
tour,  but  there  is  none  here.  If  we  are  defeated  we  shall 
be  cut  to  pieces." 

"  You  are  entertaining,  you  two  !  "  interposed  Felix. 
"  Can  we  not  have  a  change  ?  Let  me  arrange  the 
programme.  First,  we  rout  Coss6 — an  easy  matter; 
second,  we  continue  our  march  to  Paris,  defeating 
Monseigneur  on  the  way ;  third,  we  dictate  terms  of 
peace  at  the  Louvre." 

"  And  fourth,"  laughed  Roger,  "  we  appoint  Monsieur 
Felix  Bellidvre  Marshal  of  France,  and  advance  him  to 
the  highest  dignity  !  " 

"  The  suggestion  does  you  credit,"  replied  my  com- 
rade, good-humouredly ;  "  and  we  will  make  a  beginning 
in  the  morning  by  beating  Coss6." 

Knowing  that  we  had  lost  our  sleep  the  previous  night, 
Roger  did  not  stay  long,  and  as  soon  as  our  attendance 
on  the  Admiral  was  over  we  went  to  bed,  or  rather  lay 
down  inside  the  tent,  muffled  in  our  cloaks. 

The  morning  of  June  27, 1570,  opened  bright  and  clear, 
and  we  looked  forward  with  hope,  if  not  exactly  with 
confidence,  to  the  approaching  battle.  The  enemy  were 
nearly  three  to  one,  but,  as  Roger  had  said,  our  men 
were  all  picked   troops,  hardy,  resolute  fellows,  filled 


A    Glorious  Triumph      167 

with  intense  zeal,  and  fighting  for  what  they  beheved 
to  be  right. 

They  greeted  Coligny  with  deafening  cheers,  when, 
after  breakfast,  and  our  simple  morning  service,  he 
rode  along  the  lines,  accompanied  by  Henry  of  Beam  and 
the  young  Conde.  These  gallant  youths  each  commanded 
a  regiment,  and  their  flushed  cheeks  and  sparkling  eyes 
told  how  ardently  they  burned  to  distinguish  them  selves. 

"  There  are  the  enemy,  my  lads,"  said  Coligny,  in  his 
grave,  measured  tones,  "  and  we  must  beat  them.  It 
is  our  last  chance.  If  we  fail,  the  Cause  is  lost,  and  we 
shall  find  no  mercy.  If  we  run  away,  we  shall  be  cut 
down,  for  there  is  no  place  of  shelter.  We  must  win  the 
battle,  or  die  on  the  field." 

"  We  will !  "  they  cried,  and  there  was  a  ring  in  their 
voices  that  spoke  of  an  iron  determination  to  succeed. 

"  And  we,"  said  young  Henry  of  Beam,  "  wiU  die 
with  you.  Not  one  of  your  leaders  will  leave  the 
field  except  as  a  victor.  It  is  victory  or  death  for  all  of 
us." 

At  these  brave  words  the  cheering  broke  out  afresh, 
and  my  comrade,  turning  to  me,  exclaimed,  "  The 
battle  is  won  already  !    Those  fellows  will  never  retreat." 

They  were,  indeed,  in  fine  fettle,  but  it  was  setting 
them  a  desperate  task  to  oppose  nearly  three  times  their 
number  ! 

The  marshal  began  the  attack  with  a  cavalry  charge, 
but,  as  the  horsemen  galloped  forward,  a  body  of  arque- 
busiers  posted  in  a  ditch  discharged  such  a  stinging  fire 
that  our  opponents  wheeled  round  and  rode  hurriedly 
back  to  shelter. 


1 68       A  Glorious  Triumph 

"  Well  done  !  "  cried  Felix ;  "  we  have  drawn  first 
blood." 

They  tried  again  with  the  same  result,  and  then  a  strong 
body  of  infantry  was  pushed  forward.  But  the  arque- 
busiers  clung  firmly  to  their  post,  and  presently  young 
Conde,  sweeping  round  unexpectedly  at  the  head  of 
his  regiment,  charged  and  broke  the  hostile  infantry. 
It  was  a  daring  charge,  and  we  waved  our  swords  and 
cheered,  as  the  victorious  horsemen  rode  proudly 
back. 

The  marshal,  however,  was  not  to  be  denied.  Again 
and  again  he  launched  his  horsemen  at  us,  while  his  foot- 
soldiers  crept  steadily  nearer.  All  along  our  front  the 
battle  raged  fiercely,  and  at  every  point  our  gallant 
fellows  were  fighting  against  overwhelming  numbers. 

"  Stand  firm,  soldiers,  stand  firm  !  "  cried  our  general, 
as  he  galloped  over  the  field,  bringing  the  magic  of  his 
presence  to  whatever  part  was  in  most  danger. 

It  was  in  one  of  these  wild  rushes  the  incident  occurred 
that  laid  the  foundation  of  my  fortunes,  though  the  build- 
ing took  many  years  to  complete.  I  tell  it  here,  not  out 
of  pride  or  vainglory — though  I  was  proud,  too — but 
because  it  is  necessary  to  the  better  understanding  of 
my  story. 

We  had  just  left  the  handful  of  Englishmen,  who  had 
bravely  repulsed  a  stubborn  attack  of  cavalry  and  in- 
fantry on  their  position,  when  a  cry  arose  of  "  Prince 
Henry  !    Help  for  the  prince  !  " 

A  cry  of  despair  broke  from  us  as  we  realized  his  peril. 
How  it  came  about  I  never  clearly  learned,  for  in  the 
heat  of  battle  one  rarely  sees  more  than  the  things  close 


A  Glorious  Triumph      169 

at  hand.  Some  said  one  thing,  some  another,  but  this 
I  reckon  was  the  most  Ukely  way  of  it. 

His  regiment  was  rather  exposed,  and  on  the  left 
flank  stretched  some  rolling  ground,  unsuitable  for  cavalry 
but  affording  good  cover  for  foot-soldiers.  Across  these 
hollows  Cosse  had  sent  a  large  body  of  infantry,  while 
at  the  same  time  the  prince's  regiment  was  assailed  by  an 
overwhelming  force  of  cavalry.  An  order  to  retire 
was  given — though  none  knew  by  whom — and  in  con- 
sequence, Henry,  with  a  handful  of  men,  was  left  sur- 
rounded by  a  sea  of  foes. 

Cohgny  glanced  quickly  round  the  field  ;  the  royalists 
were  pressing  us  at  every  point ;  not  a  man  could  be 
spared  from  his  post. 

"  We  must  save  him  ourselves,  gentlemen  !  "  he  ex- 
claimed tersely,  "  forward  !  " 

We  counted  barely  two  score  swords,  but  the  prince 
was  in  peril,  and  though  the  enterprise  cost  all  our  lives 
he  must  be  rescued.  Our  comrades  battling  desperately 
at  their  posts  cheered  us  as  we  flew  by,  crying,  "  Coligny  ! 
Coligny  !  "  Straight  as  a  die  we  rode,  our  chief  slightly 
in  advance,  the  rest  of  us  in  threes,  horse's  head  to  horse's 
head,  the  animals  straining  and  quivering  in  every  muscle 
as  we  urged  them  madly  forward. 

Too  late  !  was  the  thought  in  every  heart,  as  we  beheld 
the  prince  fighting  for  dear  life,  and  hemmed  in  by  a  host 
of  enemies.  "  Coligny  !  Coligny  !  "  we  cried,  and  in 
blind  fury  charged  the  dense  mass. 

Now  it  chanced  by  pure  accident,  for  I  had  no  other 
thought  than  to  follow  my  patron  closely,  that  the 
charge  brought  me  close  to  the  bridle-hand  of  the  prince. 


170       A   Glorious  Triumph 

Henry  of  Beam,  though  a  fine  svvorder,  was  even  a 
better  horseman,  and  it  was  to  his  skill  as  a  rider,  much 
more  than  to  his  dexterity  with  the  sword,  that  he  owed 
his  life. 

But  now  he  was  so  closely  beset  that  he  was  compelled 
to  depend  upon  the  play  of  his  sword,  and  his  strength 
was  failing.  They  struck  fiercely  at  him  in  front  and  on 
both  sides  ;  there  was  a  continuous  circle  of  flashing 
steel;  it  was  marvellous  how  death  missed  him. 
Pressed  hard  by  a  trooper  on  the  right  he  turned  to  parry 
his  blows  more  effectively,  when  a  second  trooper  slashed 
at  his  bridle-arm. 

There  was  no  time  for  warning ;  no  time  even  for 
thought.  With  a  cry  of  "  Coligny  !  "  I  dashed  forward, 
and,  throwing  myself  half  out  of  the  saddle,  caught  the 
descending  sword.  Before  the  trooper  could  recover 
himself  I  had  pierced  him  through  the  side,  and  he  fell 
with  a  groan  across  his  horse's  neck. 

I  did  not  think  that  Henry  had  noticed  the  incident, 
but  without  turning  his  head  he  cried  pleasantly,  "  My 
thanks,  monsieiu" ;  I  owe  my  life  to  you." 

"  Have  no  fear  for  this  side,  my  lord,"  I  answered,  and 
the  next  instant  was  fiercely  engaged  with  two  of  the 
king's  troopers. 

But  now  the  cry  of  "  Coligny  !  "  grew  louder  ;  the  press 
was  broken  here  and  there  ;  the  Admiral  himself  ap- 
peared ;  some  of  his  gentlemen  fought  their  way  to  our 
side,  and  with  one  desperate  effort  we  thrust  back 
the  hostile  horsemen.  "  Coligny  !  Coligny  !  Beam  ! 
Beam  !  "  were  the  shouts,  as,  with  swords  flashing  and 
gleaming  in  the  sunlight,  we  pushed  a  way  through. 


A  Glorious  Triumph       171 

At  the  same  time  the  rest  of  the  regiment  drove  back  the 
infantry,  and  the  prince  was  saved. 

"  Stand  firm,  soldiers,  stand  firm  !  "  cried  our  leader  as 
he  prepared  to  gallop  off,  for  Cosse's  assaults  were  so  rapid 
and  daring  that  we  had  hardly  a  moment's  breathing 
space. 

But,  as  we  were  moving  away,  Henry  of  Beam,  call- 
ing me  to  his  side,  said,  "  Your  name,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  Edmond  Le  Blanc,  my  lord,"  I  answered,  bowing  low. 

"  If  we  live  through  this  day,"  he  said  graciously,  "  I 
will  remember  the  debt  I  owe  you." 

Once  again  I  bowed,  and,  saluting  with  my  sword, 
darted  off  to  take  my  place  in  the  Admiral's  train. 
Whatever  Henry's  fortune,  there  appeared  considerable 
doubt  as  to  my  surviving  the  battle,  for  my  patron 
seemed  determined  to  court  death  not  only  for 
himself  but  for  every  gentleman  in  his  household.  Wher- 
ever the  Huguenots  recoiled  ever  so  slightly  before  the 
terrible  onslaughts  of  the  foe,  there  we  were  cheering  and 
fighting  till  our  arms  were  wearied  by  the  work  and  our 
heads  dazed  by  the  maddening  tumult. 

And  never  for  a  moment  during  that  long  summer  day 
did  the  strife  cease.  Cosse  was  inflexible;  he  sent  his 
troops  to  death  without  pity,  and  they  obeyed  without  a 
murmur.  The  carnage  was  fearful,  and  I  longed  for  dark- 
ness to  put  an  end  to  the  hideous  slaughter. 

At  the  end  of  the  afternoon  he  gathered  his  forces 
together  for  one  supreme  effort.  Horse  and  foot,  they 
swung  along  as  blithely  as  if  the  battle  were  only 
beginning.  I  looked  round  on  our  diminished  ranks,  and 
wondered  if  we  had  strength  to  withstand  another  onset. 


172       A  Glorious  Triumph 

"  'Tis  their  last  try  !  "  exclaimed  Felix  cheerfully ; 
"  if  they  fail  now  they  will  break,  and  the  victory  is  ours. 
Half  an  hour  will  see  the  finish ;  one  side  must  give  way." 

One  side  !     But  which  ? 

On  they  came,  wave  after  wave,  like  the  waters 
of  an  irresistible  sea.  We  waited  in  painful  silence, 
broken  suddenly  by  the  Admiral's  voice,  "  Stand  firm, 
soldiers,  stand  firm.     The  end  is  at  hand  !  " 

On  they  came,  bugles  blowing,  flags  flying,  horses 
prancing ;  the  dying  sun  lighting  up  the  bared  swords 
and  pike  heads,  the  steel  caps  and  breastplates.  On 
they  came,  a  goodly  and  gallant  band  of  well-trained 
warriors. 

"  Stand  firm,  soldiers,  stand  firm  !  "  Well  in  front, 
serene  and  confident,  full  of  proud  courage  and  high 
resolve,  there  was  our  glorious  leader,  the  best  and 
bravest  man  in  the  two  armies. 

With  a  roar  of  cheering  and  a  hurricane  rush  the  foe 
dashed  forward.  They  struck  us  in  front,  they  swirled 
tumultuously  around  our  flanks,  driving  us  back  and 
cheering  lustily,  "  For  the  King  !  "  The  fate  of  the  day 
hung  trembling  in  the  balance,  but  Henry  of  Beam  on 
the  one  flank,  and  Conde  on  the  other,  rallied  their 
troops,  while  in  the  centre  the  stout  old  Admiral  plunged 
yet  again  into  the  fray. 

"  Forward  !  Forward  !  "  we  shouted.  "  On  them ! 
They  are  giving  way  !  "  and  Felix,  snatching  a  flag  from 
a  wounded  man,  charged  with  reckless  abandon  into 
the  very  midst  of  the  foe. 

"  The  flag  !  "  I  cried,  *'  follow  the  flag  !  "  Straight 
ahead  of  us  it  went,  now  waving  triumphantly  aloft, 


With  a  Roar  of  Cheering  and  a  Hurricane  Rush  the  Foe 
Dashed  Forward. 


A  Glorious  Triumph       173 

now  drooping,  now  swaying  again,  and  high  above 
the  din  of  strife  sounded  my  comrade's  voice,  crying, 
"  For  the  Admiral !  For  the  Faith  !  Forward !  Forward  !" 

The  daring  hazardous  exploit  sent  a  wave  of  fire 
through  every  man.  We  flung  off  our  fatigue  as  if  it 
were  a  cloak,  dealing  our  blows  as  vigorously  as  though 
the  battle  were  but  newly  joined.  And  as  we  toiled  on, 
following  the  flag,  a  great  shout  of  victory  arose  on  our 
light.  Henry  of  Beam  had  thrust  back  his  assailants  ; 
they  were  running  fast,  and  his  horsemen  were  hanging 
on  their  heels  like  sleuth-hounds. 

The  cry  was  taken  up  and  repeated  all  along  the  line, 
and  in  a  few  minutes  the  enemy,  smitten  by  sudden  fear, 
were  flying  in  all  directions.  For  some  distance  we  pur- 
sued, sweeping  numbers  of  prisoners  to  the  rear ;  but 
our  animals  were  wearied,  and  presently  aU  but  a  few  of 
the  most  fiery  spirits  had  halted. 

The  victory  was  ours,  but  we  had  bought  it  at  a  high 
price.  Some  of  our  bravest  officers  were  dead,  and 
Coligny  looked  mournfully  at  his  diminished  band  of 
attendants.  We  rode  back  to  our  lines,  and  to  me  the 
joy  of  our  triumph  was  sadly  dimmed  by  the  absence  of 
my  comrade.  In  the  wild  stampede  I  had  lost  sight  of 
the  flag,  and  no  one  had  seen  its  gallant  bearer. 

"  Has  Monsieur  Bellievre  fallen  ?  "  asked  Jacques, 
who  had  ridden  well  and  boldly  with  the  troopers. 

"  I  do  not  know  ;  I  fear  so.  He  was  a  long  distance 
ahead  of  us  in  the  last  charge.  I  am  going  to  search  for 
him." 

"  There  is  your  English  friend,  monsieur ;  he  is  not 
hurt." 


174       ^  Glorious  Triumph 

Roger  grasped  my  hand  warmly.  *'  Safe ! "  he  exclaimed ; 
"  I  hardly  dared  to  hope  it.  It  has  been  a  terrible  fight. 
Our  poor  fellows  " — he  spoke  of  the  English  remnant — 
"  have  suffered  severely.    Where  is  Felix  ?  " 

"  We  are  on  our  way  to  look  for  him  ;  I  fear  he  has 
fallen." 

Roger  turned  and  went  with  us.  "  I  saw  him  with  the 
flag,"  he  remarked.  "  'Twas  a  gallant  deed.  It  helped 
us  to  win  the  battle.  By  my  word,  Cossd  must  have  lost 
frightfully ;  the  field  just  here  looks  carpeted  with  the 
dead." 

"  'Tis  a  fearful  sight  to  see  in  cold  blood,"  I  replied. 

Numbers  of  men  were  removing  the  wounded,  but 
knowing  that  Felix  had  ridden  some  distance  ahead  we 
kept  steadily  on  our  way. 

"  'Twas  here  Cosse's  troops  began  to  break,"  said 
Jacques  presently,  "  and  'tis  hereabout  we  ought  to  find 
Monsieur  Belli^vre's  body." 

The  words  jarred  upon  me  horribly ;  they  expressed 
the  thought  I  was  trying  hard  to  keep  out  of  my 
head. 

We  went  quickly  from  one  to  the  other,  doing 
what  we  could  for  the  wounded,  and  hurrying  on  again. 
It  was  a  gruesome  task,  and  the  fear  of  finding  what  we 
sought  so  earnestly  added  to  the  horror. 

Suddenly  my  heart  gave  a  leap,  and  I  ran  forward 
quickly  to  where  I  saw  the  colour  of  the  blood-stained  flag. 
A  dead  horse  lay  near  it,  and  by  the  animal's  side  lay 
my  comrade.  His  head  was  bare,  and  his  fair  hair  clus- 
tered in  curls  over  his  forehead.  He  was  very  white 
and  still,  and  his  eyes  were  closed. 


A  Glorious  Triumph       175 

"  Poor  fellow  ;.I  fear  he  is  past  help,"  murmured 
Roger. 

"  Let  us  find  out,"  advised  the  practical  Jacques, 
and,  kneeling  down  on  the  other  side,  he  assisted  me  to 
loosen  the  doublet. 


CHAPTER   XVI 

A  Gleam  of  Sunshine 

"  The  heart  beats,  monsieur  ;  faintly,  but  it  beats." 

"  Are  you  sure,  Jacques  ?    Are  you  quite  certain  ?  " 

"  I  can  feel  it  plainly,  monsieur.  He  has  lost  a  great 
deal  of  blood.  If  we  move  him  the  bleeding  may  begin 
again  ;  I  will  fetch  a  surgeon  to  dress  his  wounds  here." 

It  seemed  an  age  before  Jacques  returned  with  a 
surgeon,  and  meanwhile  Felix  lay  perfectly  stUl.  There 
was  not  the  flutter  of  an  eyelid,  not  the  twitching  of  a 
muscle ;  only  by  placing  a  hand  over  his  heart  could 
one  tell  that  he  still  lived. 

The  surgeon  shook  his  head  as  he  bound  up  the 
wounds,  evidently  having  little  faith  in  my  comrade's 
chance  of  recovery.  We  got  him  back  to  the  camp, 
however,  where  Jacques  and  I  watched  by  turns 
all  night  at  his  side.  Toward  morning  he  moved 
restlessly,  and  presently  his  eyes  opened. 

"  Felix,"  I  said  softly,  with  a  great  joy  at  my  heart, 
"  Felix,  do  you  know  me  ?  " 

"  The  flag  !  "  he  said  feebly,  "  follow  the  flag  !  For- 
ward, brave  hearts  !  "  and  he  would  have  risen,  but  I 
held  him  down  gently, 

"  The  battle  is  over,  Felix ;    we  have  won  a  great 

176 


A    Gleam    of  Sunshine      177 

victory.  It  is  I,  Edmond.  You  have  been  wounded, 
but  are  getting  better.    We  found  you  on  the  field." 

"  I  dropped  the  flag,"  he  said,  smiling  at  me,  but 
not  knowing  me. 

"  It  is  all  right.  We  picked  it  up ;  it  is  here,"  and  I 
placed  it  near  him.  His  hand  closed  lovingly  round 
the  silken  folds,  and  his  eyes  were  filled  with  deep 
contentment. 

Leaving  the  room  quietly,  I  called  to  Jacques,  say- 
ing, "  He  is  awake,  but  he  does  not  recognize  me." 

"  Give  him  time,  monsieur  ;  his  brain  is  not  yet  clear, 
but  he  will  come  round.  Sit  by  him  a  while,  so  that 
he  can  see  you  ;  he  will  remember  by  degrees." 

Acting  on  this  suggestion,  I  returned  to  the  bedside 
and  sat  down,  but  without  speaking.  Felix  lay  finger- 
ing the  flag,  but  presently  his  eyes  sought  mine,  wonder- 
ingly  at  first,  but  afterwards  with  a  gleam  of  recog  nition 
in  them. 

I  had  sat  thus  for  perhaps  half  an  hour,  when  he 
called  me  by  name,  and  I  bent  over  him  with  a  throb 
oi  joy. 

"  Edmond,"  he  said,  "  where  are  we  ?  Is  the  battle 
over  ?  " 

"  Yes,  and  Coss6  has  been  badly  beaten.  You  were 
hurt  in  the  last  charge." 

"  Yes,"  he  said  slowly,  "  I  remember.  Ah,  you 
found  the  flag  !  " 

"  It  was  lying  beside  you  ;    your  horse  was  killed." 

"  A  pistol-shot,"  he  said,  "  and  a  fellow  cut  at  me 
with  his  sword  at  the  same  time.  But  I  am  tired.  Is 
the  Admiral  safe  ?  " 

r.A.  T2 


lyS     A   Gleam  of  Sunshine 

"  Yes,  I  am  going  to  him  now.  Jacques  will  stay 
with  you,  and  I  will  send  the  surgeon." 

Fearing  lest  he  should  overtax  his  strength,  I  went 
out,  and  after  a  visit  to  the  surgeon  proceeded  to 
Coligny's  tent.  My  heart  ached  as  I  gazed  around  at 
my  comrades,  and  realized  more  fully  what  the  victory 
had  cost  us. 

"  Is  Bellidvre  likely  to  recover  ?  "  asked  one. 

"  I  hope  so  ;  he  is  quite  sensible,  but  very  weak." 

"  He  did  a  splendid  thing !  The  Admiral  is  very  proud 
of  him." 

"  That  piece  of  information  will  go  a  long  way  toward 
pulling  him  through  !  "  I  said. 

Just  then  Coligny  himself  came  from  his  tent,  and 
hearing  our  talk  inquired  kindly  after  my  comrade. 

"  He  is  sensible,  my  lord,  and  I  am  hoping  he  may 
recover,"  I  replied. 

"  I  trust  so ;  we  cannot  well  afford  to  lose  such  a 
gallant  lad.  I  must  come  to  see  him  "presently,  and 
tell  him  how  much  we  owe  him." 

"  That  will  do  him  more  good  than  all  the  surgeon's 
skill !  "  I  said. 

The  excitement  of  the  closing  scenes  of  the  battle, 
the  uncertainty  as  to  my  comrade's  fate,  and  the 
long  night's  watch  had  driven  from  my  head  all  remem- 
brance of  the  incident  connected  with  Henry  of  Beam, 
but  the  prince  himself  had  not  forgotten. 

During  the  forenoon  he  came  riding  over  to  Coligny's 
quarters,  debonair  and  gracious  as  ever. 

"  I  have  come,"  said  he  to  the  Admiral,  "  not  exactly 
to  pay  a  debt,  but  to  acknowledge  it.     I  owe  my  life 


A    Gleam   of  Sunshine      179 

to  one  of  your  gentlemen  ;  but  for  his  bravery  and 
skill  with  the  sword  Henry  of  Beam  would  be  food 
for  the  worms.  I  trust  he  still  lives  to  accept  my 
thanks." 

"  Le  Blanc  1  It  is  Le  Blanc  !  "  murmured  my  com- 
rades. 

"  That  is  the  name,"  said  the  prince  with  his  frank 
smile,  "  and  there  is  the  gentleman." 

My  comrades  pushed  me  forward,  and  I  advanced 
awkwardly,  hot  with  confusion,  but — I  have  no  false 
shame  about  admitting  the  truth — my  breast  swelling 
with  pride. 

"  Monsieur,"  exclaimed  the  prince  genially,  "  yester- 
day we  had  leisure  for  but  little  speech,  and  my  thanks 
were  necessarily  of  the  scantiest.  To-day  I  wish  to 
acknowledge  before  your  comrades  in  arms  that,  when 
I  was  sorely  beset  and  had  no  thought  except  to  sell 
my  life  dearly,  you  came  in  the  most  gallant  manner  to 
my  rescue.  I  have  not  much  to  offer  you,  monsieur, 
beyond  my  friendship,  but  that  is  yours  until  the  day 
of  my  death." 

He  paused  here,  and,  unbuckling  his  sword,  placed 
it  in  my  hands,  saying,  "  Here  is  the  token  of  my 
promise.  Should  the  day  ever  come  when  you  ask  in 
vain  anything  that  I  can  grant,  let  all  men  call  Henry 
of  Beam  ingrate  and  traitor  to  his  plighted  word. 
I  call  you,  my  Lord  Admiral,  and  you,  gentlemen,  to 
witness." 

I  tried  to  say  something  in  reply,  but  the  words  were 
choked  in  my  throat ;  not  one  would  come.  But  a 
still  higher  honour  was  in  store  for  me.    The  Admiral — 


i8o      A   Gleam  of  Sunshine 

the  great  and  good  leader  whom  we  all  worshipped — 
removing  my  sword,  buckled  on  the  prince's  gift  with 
his  own  hands. 

"  I  rejoice,"  said  he  speaking  slowly  as  was  his  wont, 
*'  that  the  son  of  the  hero  who  died  for  the  Cause  at 
St.  Jean  d'Angely  should  thus  add  honour  to  his  father's 
name." 

I  managed  to  stammer  out  a  few  words,  and  then 
my  comrades  crowded  around,  cheering  me  with  generous 
enthusiasm.  And,  when  the  prince  had  gone,  I  had  the 
further  happiness  of  conducting  the  Admiral  to  our 
tent,  and  of  hearing  the  words  of  praise  he  spoke  to 
Fehx,  who  would  gladly  have  died  a  thousand  deaths 
to  have  secured  such  honour. 

I  said  nothing  to  him  that  day  of  the  prince's  gra- 
cious gift — ^he  had  already  had  as  much  excitement  as 
he  could  bear — but  Jacques,  of  course,  had  heard  of  it, 
and  the  trusty  fellow  showed  as  much  pride  as  if 
he  himself  had  received  a  patent  of  nobility.  Roger 
Braund,  too,  came  to  congratulate  me,  and  his  pleasure 
was  so  genuine  that  it  made  mine  the  greater.  Alto- 
gether I  think  that  day  after  the  battle  of  Arnay-le-Duc 
was  the  most  wonderful  of  my  life. 

The  defeat  of  Marshal  Cosse  was  so  complete  that  we 
met  with  no  further  opposition,  but  pushed  on  to  Chatil- 
lon,  the  sleepy  little  town  which  had  the  honour  of 
being  the  birth-place  of  our  noble  chief.  Having  to 
attend  on  the  Admiral,  I  left  my  wounded  comrade  in 
the  care  of  Jacques,  who  made  him  as  comfortable  as 
possible  in  one  of  the  wagons,  and  waited  upon  him 
day  and  night.    Whenever  opportunity  offered  I  rode 


A    Gleam   of  Sunshine      1 8  i 

back  to  see  him,  and  each  time  found  to  my  delight 
that  he  was  progressing  favourably. 

At  last  we  reached  the  town  and  rode  along  the  main 
street  through  groups  of  cheering  citizens  to  the  castle, 
a  strong  and  massive  fortress  with  ample  accommoda- 
tion for  thousands  of  persons.  It  stood  in  the  midst 
of  a  vast  enclosure,  surrounded  by  a  deep  and  wide 
fosse ;  and  the  thick  walls,  as  Roger  remarked, 
appeared  capable  of  withstanding  the  assaults  of  a  well- 
equipped  army. 

Inside  the  enclosure  were  large  gardens  and  hand- 
some terraces,  while  the  huge  tower,  sixty  feet  high, 
looked  down  into  a  wide  and  spacious  courtyard. 

"  This  is  pleasant  and  comfortable,"  said  Roger  that 
same  evening,  *'  but  what  does  it  mean  ?  Why  have 
we  come  here  ?  I  understood  we  were  to  march  on  Paris." 

"  I  do  not  know  ;  there  is  some  talk  of  peace.  Several 
important  messengers  were  despatched  post-haste  to 
the  king  directly  after  the  defeat  of  Cosse." 

Roger  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  I  think  it  a  mis- 
take," he  said  ;  "  one  should  never  come  to  terms  with 
an  enemy  who  is  only  half-beaten  ;  it  gives  him  time 
to  recover." 

"  Well,  this  is  pleasanter  than  marching  through 
Dauphigny." 

"  So  it  is,"  he  agreed  laughingly;  "  what  a  magnifi- 
cent old  place  it  is !  Your  nobles  are  very  powerful ; 
almost  too  powerful  for  the  king's  comfort  I  should 
fancy.     How  is  Felix  ?  " 

"  Getting  well  rapidly,  and  clamouring  to  leave  his 
bed.    As  usual,  he  is  just  a  little  too  impatient." 


1 82      A  Gleam    of  Sunshine 

"  That  is  his  chief  failing,"  said  Roger,  "  but  he  is 
a  gallant  fellow  nevertheless.  I  wonder  how  your 
mother  and  sister  are !  " 

"  If  we  stay  here,  as  seems  likely,  I  shall  despatch 
Jacques  on  a  visit  to  Rochelle." 

"  Do  not  forget  to  say  I  send  them  my  deepest 
respect  and  sympathy.  Indeed,  Jacques  might  carry 
a  little  note  from  me." 

"  To  my  mother  ?  "  I  asked  mischievously. 

*'  Of  course,"  he  replied,  with  a  blush  that  became 
him  well ;  but  all  the  same  when,  a  few  days  later, 
Jacques  started  on  his  journey,  I  noticed  that  Roger's 
letter  was  addressed  to  Jeanne.  Perhaps  being  in 
a  hurry  he  had  made  a  mistake  ! 

We  passed  our  time  at  Chatillon  very  pleasantly. 
Felix  was  soon  able  to  leave  his  bed,  and  every  day 
increased  his  strength.  The  rumours  of  an  approach- 
ing peace  became  stronger,  and  at  last  it  was  announced 
that  Coligny  had  signed  a  treaty,  which  secured  to 
those  of  the  Religion  perfect  freedom  to  worship  as 
they  pleased. 

"  As  long  as  we  keep  our  swords  loose,  and  our 
horses  saddled,"  said  Felix,  "  but  no  longer,"  and 
Roger,  rather  to  my  surprise,  agreed  with  him. 

It  was  the  time  of  evening,  and  we  were  walking  'on 
one  of  the  terraces,  when  Jacques  rode  slowly  into  the 
courtyard.  He  looked  tired  and  travel-stained,  as 
was  but  natural,  but  his  face  wore  a  gloomy  expres- 
sion that  could  not  be  due  to  fatigue.  I  went 
down  to  him  quickly  with  a  sudden  sinking  of  the 
heait. 


A    Gleam   of  Sunshine      183 

"  Well,  Jacques,  what  news  ?  "  I  cried,  with  forced 
cheerfulness. 

"  The  country  is  quiet,  monsieur,  and  the  citizens 
are  rejoicing  in  Rochelle." 

"  I  care  nothing  for  Rochelle  just  now ;  'tis  of  my 
mother  and  sister  I  would  hear.  Are  they  well  ?  Are 
they  cheerful  ?  Have  they  written  to  me  ?  Speak 
out,  man ;  is  your  tongue  in  a  knot  ?  " 

"  I  would  it  were,"  said  he,  "  if  that  would  alter 
the  news  I  bring.  You  must  brace  yourself,  mon- 
sieur, to  face  another  calamity.  But  here  is  a  letter 
from  Mademoiselle  Jeanne." 

"  From  Jeanne  ?  "  I  repeated,  and  at  that  I  under- 
stood the  truth.    My  mother  was  dead ! 

I  read  the  blotted  and  tear-stained  paper  with  moist 
eyes.  On  the  very  day  when  we  started  from  Nar- 
bonne  on  our  memorable  march,  my  poor  mother, 
who  had  never  really  recovered  from  the  shock  of 
my  father's  death,  breathed  her  last.  Concerning  her- 
self, Jeanne  said  little  except  that  she  was  hving  in 
the  household  of  the  Queen  of  Navarre,  who  was  hold- 
ing her  court  at  Rochelle. 

After  telling  Fehx  and  Roger  the  sad  news,  I 
went  away  to  brood  over  my  sorrow  alone.  It  was 
a  heavy  blow,  and  the  heavier  because  so  unexpected. 
The  chance  that  my  mother  might  die  during  my 
absence  had  never  struck  me,  and  I  had  been  looking 
forward  impatiently  to  meeting  her  again. 

Fortunately,  the  newly-signed  peace  brought  me 
many  active  duties.  The  army  was  disbanded,  and 
most  of  our  chiefs  began  their  preparations  for  a  visit 


184      A   Gleam   of  Sunshine 

to  Rochelle.  Felix  and  I  were  kept  busy,  and  indeed 
until  the  journey  began  we  had  few  idle  moments. 

The  little  band  of  Englishmen  who  had  survived 
the  war — gallant  hearts,  they  had  spent  themselves 
so  recklessly  that  barely  a  dozen  remained — accom- 
panied us,  and  naturally  we  saw  a  great  deal  of  Roger. 

"  I  suppose,"  said  Felix  to  him  one  day,  "  that 
now  you  will  return  to  England  ?  " 

"  My  comrades  are  returning  at  once,"  he  replied, 
"  but  I  shall  stay  a  while  longer ;  perhaps  even  pay 
a  visit  to  Paris  before  I  leave." 

"  If  you  wish  to  see  Paris,"  said  Felix,  "  it  will  be 
well  to  go  quickly,  before  the  clouds  burst  again " ; 
but  Roger  observed  with  a  smile  that  he  intended  to 
stay  in  Rochelle  for  a  few  weeks  at  least. 

Our  entry  into  the  city  was  very  different  from  that 
after  the  rout  of  Montcontour.  Cannon  boomed, 
church  bells  rang  merrily,  the  streets  were  gay  with 
flags  and  flowers  and  triumphal  arches;  while  the 
citizens,  dressed  in  their  best,  with  happy  smiling 
faces,  cheered  until  they  were  hoarse,  as  the  Admiral, 
with  Henry  of  Beam  on  his  right  and  the  youthful 
Conde  on  his  left,  rode  through  the  gateway. 

Jeanne,  with  several  of  the  queen's  ladies,  was  sit- 
ting in  the  balcony  of  the  Hotel  Coligny.  Catching 
sight  of  us,  she  stood  up  and  waved  her  hand,  and  we 
bowed  low  in  our  saddles,  and  smiled,  and  waved  our 
hands  in  return. 

"  Your  sister  is  more  beautiful  than  ever,  Edmond," 
said  my  comrade  enthusiastically. 

"  She  looked  paler,   I   thought,"   I   replied,   as  we 


A    Gleam    of  Sunshine      185 

turned  into  the  courtyard  ;  "  but  now  the  war  is  over 
we  shall  have  a  chance  to  cheer  her  a  little." 

"  Did  she  see  Roger  Braund,  do  you  think  ?  " 

"It  is  likely  enough,"  I  laughed ;  "  he  is  a  fair  size, 
and  sits  up  well  in  the  saddle,"  a  harmless  pleasantry 
which,  to  judge  by  his  peevish  exclamation,  Felix  did 
not  appreciate. 

That  evening  we  all  met  at  the  reception  given  by 
the  Queen  of  Navarre,  a  reception  brilliant  by  reason 
of  the  number  of  brave  men  and  beautiful  women 
assembled.  I  had  spent  an  hour  alone  with  Jeanne 
during  the  afternoon,  and  she  had  told  me  of  our 
mother's  illness,  and  of  her  last  loving  message  to 
myself. 

I  asked  how  she  came  to  be  in  the  Queen  of  Navarre's 
household,  and  her  eyes  kindled  and  her  face  flushed 
as  she  answered,  "  Oh,  Edmond,  the  queen  has  been 
the  kindest  of  friends !  She  sought  me  out  in  my 
sorrow,  saying  it  was  not  right  that  the  daughter  of 
so  brave  a  soldier  as  my  father  should  be  left  to  bear 
her  grief  alone.  She  insisted  on  my  becoming  one 
of  her  ladies-in-waiting,  and  ever  since  has  done  her 
best  to  make  me  happy." 

My  sister  was  certainly  very  beautiful,  and  I  could 
not  wonder  to  see  the  numbers  of  handsome  and  high- 
born cavaliers  who  clustered  around  her  that  evening. 
But  Jeanne  was  staunch  and  leal,  and,  though 
courteous  to  all,  it  was  in  the  company  of  her 
old  friends  Felix  and  Roger  she  found  her  chief 
pleasure. 

We    four   were   chatting   together,    and    Felix    was 


1 8  6      A   Gleam   of  Sunshine 

describing  in  his  lively  way  some  of  our  adventures 
when  Henry  of  Beam  drew  near. 

"  Le  Blanc,"  he  exclaimed,  looking  at  me,  "  surely 
it  is  Le  Blanc  !  "  and  taking  my  arm  he  added  jovi- 
ally, "  come  with  me,  I  must  present  you  specially 
to  my  mother.  She  ought  to  know  to  whom  she  is 
indebted  for  her  son's  life." 

Jeanne  looked  at  me  in  surprise,  and  as  we  moved 
away  I  heard  FeUx  saying,  "  I  warrant  he  never  told 
you  a  word  of  that.  By  my  faith,  one  could  hardly 
blame  him  had  he  cried  it  from  the  housetops  !  " 

Meanwhile  the  prince  marched  up  the  room,  his 
arm  placed  affectionately  on  my  shoulder,  and  pre- 
sented me  to  the  gracious  lady  who  was  such  a  tower 
of  strength  to  the  Cause. 

"  Madame,"  he  said  in  his  hearty  way,  "  this  is  the 
cavalier  of  whom  I  spoke.  But  for  his  courage  Henry 
of  Beam  would  have  been  left  lying  on  the  field  at 
Amay-le-Duc." 

She  gave  me  her  hand  to  kiss,  and  thanked  me  gra- 
ciously, saying  that  while  she  or  her  son  lived  I  should 
not  want  a  true  friend. 

"  Madame,"  I  replied,  "  in  taking  my  sister  imder 
your  gracious  protection  you  have  already  shown  your 
kindness." 

"  Your  sister  I  "  she  said  in  surprise ;  "  who  is  your 
sister  ?  " 

"  Jeanne  Le  Blanc,  whom  your  Majesty  has  hon- 
oured by  making  one  of  your  ladies-in-waiting." 

"  Then  you  must  be  the  Sieur  Le  Blanc  !  " 

*'  Edmond    Le    Blanc,    your   Majesty.      My    father 


A    Gleam   of  Sunshine      187 

sacrificed  his  title  and  his  lands,  as  well  as  his  life,  for 
the  Cause  !  " 

"  How  is  this  ?  "  asked  her  son,  and  when  I  had 
related  the  story,  he  declared  roundly  that,  with  the 
Admiral's  support,  he  would  force  the  king  to  restore 
my  rights. 

Presently  I  withdrew,  and  Jeanne,  to  whom  Felix 
had  related  the  adventure,  kissed  me  and  made 
much  of  me,  to  the  envy  of  my  two  comrades,  who, 
poor  fellows,  had  no  pretty  sister  of  their  own.  It  was 
a  proud  night  for  me,  but  the  shadow  of  my  parents' 
death  lay  on  my  happiness,  and  I  would  gladly  have 
sacrificed  all  my  honours  for  their  presence. 

"If  hfe  at  Rochelle  is  to  be  as  agreeable  as  this," 
remarked  Roger,  with  a  glance  at  my  sister,  "  I  shall 
be  loth  to  return  to  England." 

"  Then  you  can  be  no  true  Englishman  !  "  laughed 
Jeaime,  as  she  wished  us  good-night  before  going  to 
attend  upon  her  royal  mistress. 


CHAPTER    XVII 

The   King's  Promise 

Life  flowed  very  smoothly  in  La  Rochelle  during 
that  autumn  of  1570.  Amongst  us  at  least  the  peace 
was  not  broken,  though  we  heard  rumours  of  dark 
threats  from  the  Guises,  and  Coligny  received  numerous 
warnings  not  to  trust  himself,  without  an  armed  force, 
outside  the  city  walls. 

The  first  break  came  about  with  the  departure  of 
Roger  Braund.  An  English  ship  put  into  the  harbour 
one  morning  at  the  end  of  November,  and  her  master 
brought  a  letter  which  compelled  my  comrade  to  return 
home. 

"  No,"  he  said  in  reply  to  my  question,  "  there  is  no 
bad  news  ;  it  is  simply  a  matter  of  business.  I  shall  not 
wish  you  good-bye  ;  I  have  still  my  promised  visit  to 
Paris  to  make.  Perhaps  we  shall  all  be  able  to  go  there 
together." 

What  he  said  to  Jeanne  I  do  not  know,  but  she  did  not 
seem  so  much  cast  down  at  his  departure  as  I  expected, 
for  they  two  had  become  very  close  friends.  Indeed,  I 
sometimes  thought  their  friendship  was  even  warmer 
than  that  between  Jeanne  and  Felix. 

However,  we  went  down  to  the  harbour,  Felix  and  I, 

188 


The  King's  Promise        189 

and  aboard  his  ship,  an  uncomfortable-looking  craft, 
with  but  scanty  accommodation  for  a  passenger.  But 
Roger  did  not  mind  this.  He  had  sailed  in  a  much  worse 
vessel,  he  said,  and  a  far  longer  distance  than  the  pas- 
sage across  the  Channel. 

Felix  shrugged  his  shoulders.  "  On  land,"  he  re- 
marked, "  danger  does  not  alarm  me,  but  I  should  not 
care  to  put  to  sea  in  such  a  boat  as  that !  "  in  which  I 
was  at  one  with  him. 

"  I  will  choose  a  better  craft  next  time,"  laughed 
Roger,  as,  after  bidding  him  farewell,  we  wallced  across 
the  gangway  to  the  wharf,  where  we  stood  waving  our 
hands  until  he  disappeared  from  sight. 

"  Does  he  really  mean  to  return  ?  "  my  comrade 
asked. 

"  I  think  so.  He  has  evidently  made  up  his  mind 
to  visit  Paris." 

"  I  fancy,"  said  Felix  rather  bitterly,  it  struck 
me,  "  that  he  will  be  satisfied  with  RocheUe,  as  long  as 
Queen  Joan  holds  her  Comrt  there  !  " 

My  friend  was  not  in  the  best  of  humour,  but  he 
recovered  his  spirits  in  a  day  or  two,  and  before  a 
week  had  passed  was  as  lively  and  merry  as  usual. 
Black  Care  and  Felix  were  not  congenial  companions. 

Nothing  happened  after  Roger's  departure  until  the 
spring  of  1571,  when  we  heard  of  the  king's  marriage  with 
Elizabeth  of  Germany.  None  of  our  leaders  attended 
the  ceremony,  which  seemed  to  have  been  a  very  bril- 
liant affair,  the  new  queen  riding  into  Paris  in  an  open 
litter  hung  with  cloth  of  silver,  drawn  by  the  very  finest 
mules  shod  with  the  same  gleaming  metal. 


190       The  King's  Promise 

A  courier  who  waited  upon  the  Admiral  declared  that 
the  decorations  were  a  triumph  of  art,  and  that  the  bridge 
of  Notre  Dame  was  hke  a  scene  taken  bodily  from  fairy 
land.  A  triumphal  arch  was  erected  at  each  end  of  the 
bridge  ;  the  roadway  was  covered  with  an  awning  smoth- 
ered in  flowers  and  evergreens,  while  between  every 
window  on  the  first  floor  of  the  houses  were  figures  of 
nymphs  bearing  fruits  and  flowers,  and  crowned  with 
laurel. 

But,  although  debarred  from  attending  the  marriage 
of  the  king,  we  were  not  without  our  rejoicings.  Our 
noble  leader  was-  married  to  Jacqueline  of  Montbel, 
Countess  of  Entremont,  who  came  to  la  Rochelle  attended 
by  fifty  gentlemen  of  her  kindred.  Headed  by  Coligny, 
we  rode  out  to  meet  her,  and  the  cannon  thundered  forth  a 
joyous  salute.  The  citizens  lined  the  streets,  and  if  our 
decorations  were  not  as  gay  as  those  of  Paris,  there  was, 
perhaps,  a  more  genuine  heartiness  in  our  welcome. 

These  public  rejoicings,  however,  could  not  make  me 
forget  that  my  position  was  still  very  awkward.  My 
stock  of  money  was  dwindling,  and  I  could  not  expect 
to  live  in  the  Admiral's  house  for  ever  ;  while,  as  long  as 
we  remained  at  Rochelle,  Henry  of  Beam's  generous 
promise  was  not  likely  to  bear  fruit. 

Jacques,  who  paid  one  or  two  visits  to  Le  Blanc, 
reported  that  the  castle  remained  closed,  and  that  the 
tenants  on  the  property  had  received  orders  to  pay 
their  rents  to  the  crown.  This  was  bad  enough,  but  his 
second  piece  of  information  made  my  blood  hot  with 
anger. 

I  asked  if  he  had  learned  anything  of  Etienne  Cqrdel, 


The   King's   Promise         191 

and  he  replied  angrily,  "  More  than  enough,  monsieur. 
I  shall  certainly  spit  that  insolent  upstart  one  of  these 
days.  He  is  giving  himself  all  the  airs  of  a  grand  per- 
sonage, and  boasts  openly  that  before  long  he  will  be  the 
Sieur  Le  Blanc.  He  is  a  serpent,  monsieur — a  crawling, 
loathsome,  deadly  serpent ;  his  breath  pollutes  the  very 
air." 

"  He  is  no  worse  than  his  kind,"  I  replied  somewhat 
bitterly.  "  He  is  but  trying  to  raise  himself  on  the  mis- 
fortunes of  others." 

"  Worse  than  that,  monsieur.  In  my  opinion  it  was 
he  who  caused  the  downfall  of  your  house,  for  his  own 
wicked  ends.  Your  father's  property  was  to  be  his  re- 
ward for  doing  Monseigneur's  dirty  work." 

'*  It  is  likely  enough,"  I  replied,  "  but  we  can  do  no- 
thing without  the  Admiral." 

A  day  or  two  after  this  conversation — it  was  as  far  as 
I  can  remember  about  the  middle  of  July — Felix  came  to 
me  in  a  state  of  great  excitement. 

"  Have  you  heard  the  news  ?  "  he  asked.  "  The  king 
has  sent  for  our  chief  !  " 

"  For  what  purpose  ?  " 

"  He  has  written  a  most  kindly  letter  and  has  prom- 
ised to  follow  his  counsel." 

"  Faith,"  said  I,  "  it  smacks  to  me  of  the  invitation  of 
the  hungry  fox  to  the  plump  pullet !  I  think  Cohgny 
will  be  well  advised  to  remain  within  the  walls  of 
La  Rochelle." 

The  king's  letter  was  the  subject  of  eager  discussion, 
and  almost  every  one  declared  that  our  beloved  chief 
would  run  the  greatest  risk  in  accepting  the  invitation. 


192      The   King's  Promise 

"  The  king  may  be  honest  enough,  though  I  doubt 
it,"  said  one,  "  but  the  Guises  are  murderers  ;  while  as 
for  Monseigneur  and  his  mother,  I  would  as  soon  trust 
lo  a  pack  of  wolves  !  " 

Queen  Joan,  Henry  of  Beam,  young  Conde,  and  all 
our  leaders,  though  making  use  of  less  blunt  speech 
were  of  the  same  opinion,  but  the  Admiral  cared  little  for 
his  own  safety,  when  there  was  a  chance  of  benefiting  his 
country. 

"  The  king  is  surrounded  by  evil  counsellors,"  he 
said ;  "  there  is  all  the  greater  need  for  one  who  will 
tender  him  honest  advice.  I  have  ventured  my 
life  freely  for  France  ;  you  would  not  have  me  turn 
coward  in  my  old  age  ?  " 

"  To  die  on  the  field  of  battle,  my  lord,"  exclaimed  one 
of  his  oldest  comrades  in  arms,  "  and  to  be  stabbed  in 
the  back  by  a  cowardly  assassin  are  two  very  different 
things." 

"  You  love  me  over-much,"  replied  the  Admiral,  plac- 
ing a  hand  affectionately  on  his  shoulder;  "  you  are  too 
tender  of  my  welfare.  What  is  one  man's  life  compared 
with  the  good  of  France  ?  " 

"  Very  little,  my  lord,  except  when  the  man  is  yourself, 
and  then  it  becomes  everything  !  " 

"  Well,"  replied  Coligny,  "  at  the  least  we  can  ponder 
his  majesty's  request." 

"  He  will  go,"  declared FeUx that  evening;  "  his  mind 
is  made  up.  With  him  France  is  first,  second,  and  third  ; 
Coligny  is  nowhere." 

"  The  king  may  really  mean  well,"  I  suggested. 

**  If  he  doesn't,"  said  Felix,  "  and  any  harm  happens 


The   King's  Promise      193 

to  our  chief,  the  House  of  Valois  will  rue  it !     We  will 
clear  them  out,  root  and  branch." 

My  comrade  foretold  the  Admiral's  decision  correctly. 
With  his  eyes  wide  open  to  the  terrible  risk,  he  elected 
to  place  himself  in  the  king's  power,  in  the  hope  of 
healing  the  wounds  from  which  France  was  still 
bleeding. 

Jeanne  was  so  happy  with  her  royal  mistress  that  I 
felt  no  misgiving  in  leaving  her,  and  for  m57self  I  was 
not  sorry  to  exchange  the  confinement  of  Rochelle  for  a 
more  active  life.  Besides,  I  could  not  help  reflecting 
that  it  was  to  the  Admiral's  influence  I  looked  for  the 
recovery  of  my  father's  estates. 

The  evening  before  leaving  La  Rochelle  I  went  to  take 
farewell  of  my  sister.  "  If  Roger  Braund  should  return 
during  our  absence,"  I  said,  "  you  can  tell  him  we  have 
gone  to  Blois,  and  perhaps  to  Paris.  What  is  it, 
sweetheart?"  for  at  this,  a  wave  of  colour  spread  over 
her  fair  face. 

"  *Tis  nothing,  brother,"  said  she,  gazing  earnestly  at 
the  ground,  "  only  this  very  morning  the  master  of  an 
English  ship  brought  me  a  note  from  him." 

"  A  note  for  you  !  'Tis  strange  he  did  not  write  to 
me  I" 

"  He  speaks  of  you  in  his  letter,  and  hopes  you  are 
well.  There  is  some  trouble  at  Court "  he  says,  "  and 
he  cannot  obtain  his  queen's  permission  to  leave  the 
country." 

"  Then  we  have  seen  the  last  of  him.  I  am 
sorry." 

"  He  thinks  he  may  be  able  to  come  in  a  few  months," 
F.A.  13 


194       The  King's  Promise 

she  continued,  but,  strangely  enough,  she  did  not  show 
me  his  letter,  nor  did  she  mention  the  subject  to  Felix, 
who  presently  joined  us. 

The  next  morning,  to  the  visible  anxiety  of  our  friends, 
we  rode  out  from  the  city,  fifty  strong,  with  the  Admiral 
at  our  head.  We  journeyed  pleasantly  and  at  our  leisure 
to  Blois,  where  the  king  accorded  our  chief  a  most 
gracious  and  kindly  reception.  If  he  really  meditated 
treachery,  he  was  a  most  accomplished  actor. 

His  gentlemen  entertained  us  with  lavish  hospitality, 
and,  though  there  were  occasionally  sharp  differences  of 
opinion,  we  got  on  very  well  together.  When  the  king 
treated  our  leader  so  affectionately,  calling  him  "  Father," 
and  placing  his  arm  round  his  neck,  the  members  of  the 
royal  household  could  not  afford  to  be  churlish. 

One  morning  I  chanced  to  be  in  attendance  on  the 
Admiral  when  he  and  the  king  were  taking  a  turn  in  the 
grounds.  Felix  and  two  or  three  of  the  king's  gentle- 
men were  with  me,  and  we  were  all  chatting  pleasantly 
together  when  my  patron,  turning  round,  beckoned  me 
to  approach. 

"  This  is  the  young  man,  sire,"  he  said ;  "  he  comes  from 
a  good  family,  and  I  have  proved  him  to  be  a  trusty 
servant." 

"  My  dear  Admiral,"  cried  Charles,  "  a  word  from  you 
is  sufficient  recommendation.  But  there  are  forms 
to  be  observed,  and  you  would  not  have  me  override 
the  Parliament !  Eh,  my  dear  Admiral,  you  would  not 
have  me  do  that,"  and  he  laughed  roguishly. 

"  I  would  have  you  do  nothing  unjustly,  sire,  but  I 
would  have  you  set  the  wrong  right,  and  this  is  a  foul 


The   King's  Promise       195 

wrong.  The  Sieur  Le  Blanc  did  nothing  more  than  any 
other  Huguenot  gentleman.  Why  was  he  outlawed, 
and  a  price  set  on  his  head,  and  his  property  con- 
fiscated ?  " 

"  Upon  my  word,"  exclaimed  Charles,  looking  very 
foolish,  "  I  do  not  know  !  " 

"  You  were  pleased  at  St.  Jean  d' Angely  to  call  him  a 
very  gallant  gentleman." 

"  At  D' Angely  ?  "  echoed  the  king.  "  Are  you  speak- 
ing of  the  man  who  set  us  so  long  at  defiance  ?  My 
brother  was  not  well  pleased  with  him.  " 

"  Your  brother,  sire,  does  not  rule  France." 

"  No,  by  St.  James  !  "  cried  Charles,  with  sudden 
fury,  "  and  while  I  live  he  never  shall !  I  am  the  king, 
and  what  I  wish  shall  be  done.  This  Le  Blanc  who 
fought  at  D'Angely  was  as  brave  a  soldier  as  ever  drew 
sword.  Had  he  been  on  our  side,  I  would  have  made 
him  a  marshal.     I  swear  it !  " 

"  He  fought  against  you,  sire,  but  it  was  for  what  he 
thought  right." 

"  Perhaps  he  was  right,"  said  Charles.  "  Why  can't 
we  all  live  at  peace  with  each  other  ?  When  we  have 
finished  cutting  each  other's  throats,  the  Spaniards  will 
step  in  and  seize  the  country.  I  am  not  a  fool,  though 
my  brother  thinks  I  am  !  " 

"  While  France  remains  true  to  herself,  sire,  Spain 
can  do  her  no  harm.  And  a  generous  action,  your 
majesty,  goes  far  toward  gaining  a  nation's  love." 

"  You  wish  me  to  restore  this  young  man's  estates  ? 
They  shall  be  restored,  my  dear  Admiral ;  I  will  look  into 
the  matter  on  my  return  to  Paris.    There  will  be  papers 


196        The  King's  Promise 

to  sign — ^it  seems  to  me  I  am  alwa}^  signing  papers, 
principally  to  please  my  mother  and  Monseigneur — in 
this  I  will  please  myself." 

"  I  thank  you,  sire,  not  only  for  myself,  but  for  Henry 
of  Beam,  whose  life  the  youth  had  the  good  fortune  to 
save,  and  who  is  greatly  interested  in  him." 

"  If  it  will  please  Henry  of  Beam,"  said  the  king  with 
an  interest  for  which  I  could  not  account,  but  which 
became  clearer  afterwards,  "  that  is  a  further  reason 
why  I  should  have  justice  done.  Let  the  young  man  go 
to  his  estates  whenever  he  pleases  ;  I  will  see  that  what- 
ever forms  are  necessary  are  made  out." 

At  that  I  thanked  his  majesty  very  respectfully,  and 
at  a  sign  from  my  patron  fell  back  to  rejoin  my  compan- 
ions. I  said  nothing  to  Felix  then  concerning  this 
conversation,  but  at  night,  when  we  were  alone,  I  told 
him  of  the  king's  promise. 

"  He  will  keep  his  word,"  said  my  comrade,  "  unless 
Anjou  gets  hold  of  him.  But  if  Anjou  has  promised  the 
estates  to  his  tool,  I  foresee  difficulties." 

"  Surely  the  king  is  master  of  his  own  actions  1  "  I 
remarked. 

My  comrade  laughed.  "He  is  a  mere  puppet ;  his 
mother  and  Anjou  between  them  pull  the  strings  as  they 
please.  Charles  is  a  weakling,  Edmond,  and  easily  swayed 
by  other  people's  opinions." 

"  He  seems  to  be  under  the  Admiral's  influence  just 
at  present." 

"  Yes  ;  it  is  when  he  returns  to  Paris  that  the  trouble 
will  begin.  The  other  side  will  work  hard  to  drive  him 
away  from  our  patron." 


The  King's  Promise       197 

A  fortnight  passed  before  I  heard  anything  more  of 
the  subject,  and  I  was  beginning  to  feel  somewhat  doubt- 
ful of  the  king's  good  faith  when  one  morning  the 
Admiral  sent  for  me. 

"  His  majesty  is  returning  to  Paris,  Le  Blanc,"  he  said, 
"  and  I  am  going  for  a  short  while  to  Chatillon.  He  has 
promised  to  set  things  right  for  you,  but  he  may  for- 
get, and  I  shall  not  be  with  him." 

"  It  is  very  kind  of  you  to  think  of  my  troubles,  my 
lord." 

"  I  must  be  true  to  those  who  are  true  to  me,"  he 
replied  graciously,  "  and  I  am  still  deeply  in  your  debt. 
Now,  what  is  to  be  done  ?  Until  the  papers  are  signed, 
your  tenants  must  continue  to  pay  their  rents  to  the 
crown  ;  but  it  may  be  as  well  for  you  to  take  the  king 
at  his  word,  and  go  to  your  estates.  Of  course,  you  will 
need  money,  but,  fortunately,  I  can  supply  that." 

"  You  are  indeed  generous,  my  lord ;  but  there  is 
another  objection,"  I  stammered  out  awkwardly. 

"  What  is  that  ?  "  he  asked 

"  My  duty  to  yourself,  my  lord.  It  is  not  the  part  of  a 
gentleman  of  France  to  leave  his  chief  in  danger." 

"  But  I  am  not  in  danger,  my  boy !  France  is  at 
peace  ;  the  king  is  my  friend  ;  we  have  blotted  out  the 
past.  StiU,  should  the  time  come  when  I  have  need  of  a 
trusty  sword,  I  shall  not  fail  to  send  for  Edmond  Le 
Blanc.  I  leave  Blois  in  two  or  three  days,  but  before  then 
I  will  send  my  chaplain  to  you.  Keep  a  stout  heart ; 
the  king  is  anxious  to  stand  well  with  Prince  Henry, 
who  will  not  forget  to  press  your  claims." 

I  took  my  leave  of  him  with  heart-felt  gratitude,  and 


198       The   King's   Promise 

sought  my  comrade,  whose  face  clouded  as  he  listened  to 
my  story. 

"  'Tis  good  advice,  Edmond,"  he  exclaimed  dolefuUy, 
"  and  it  is  selfish  in  me  to  feel  sorry  ;  but  it  puts  an  end 
to  our  comradeship." 

"  Say,  rather,  it  breaks  it  for  a  time,"  I  suggested. 
"  As  soon  as  the  affair  is  settled  I  shall  come 
back." 

"  Will  you  ?  "  he  cried  delightedly ;  "  then  I  hope  the 
king  will  sign  the  papers  directly  he  reaches  Paris.  I 
shall  be  miserable  until  your  return." 

"  The  pleasures  of  the  capital  will  help  to' keep  up  your 
spirits,"  I  laughed.  "  It  will  be  a  novelty  to  see  our 
friends  attending  the  royal  banquets  and  receptions 
Monseigneur  and  the  Guises  will  be  charmed  with  your 
society." 

"  It  is  a  big  risk,"  he  remarked  thoughtfully.  "  I 
wonder  how  it  will  all  end  ?  "  and  I  hardly  liked  to  answer 
the  question  even  to  myself. 

The  next  day  the  chaplain  brought  me  a  purse  of 
money,  with  a  kindly  message  from  the  chief,  who  had 
gone  to  attend  the  king,  and  I  told  Jacques  to  prepare 
for  setting  out  early  in  the  morning. 

"  Are  we  going  to  Paris  ?  "  he  asked,  and  I  laughed  at 
the  amazed  expression  of  his  face  on  hearing  that  we 
were  about  to  return  home. 

"  'Tis  a  long  story,"  I  said,  "  but  there  wiU  be  ample 
time  to  tell  it  on  the  journey." 

I  wished  my  comrades  farewell,  and  early  in  the  morn- 
ing took  my  departure  from  Blois,  FeUx  riding  a  short 
distance  with  me. 


The  King's  Promise         199 

"  I  would  we  were  travelling  the  whole  journey  to- 
gether," he  said ;  "  but  as  that  is  out  of  the  question  I 
shall  pray  for  your  speedy  return.  Good-bye,  Edmond, 
till  we  meet  again." 

"  And  may  that  be  soon  !  "  I  exclaimed  warmly. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

A  Warning  from  L'Estang 

The  hour  being  late  when  we  reached  Le  Blanc,  Jacques 
proposed  that  we  should  put  up  at]^the  inn.  Old  Pierre 
came  bustling  out  with  a  hearty  welcome ;  the  horses 
were  stabled,  a  room  was  prepared,  and  by  the  time 
we  had  removed  the  trares  of  our  journey  Pierre  brought 
in  a  substantial  and  appetising  supper. 

"  Why,  Pierre,"  I  exclaimed  laughing,  "  you  must 
have  laid  your  larder  bare  !  " 

"  All  the  larders  in  the  village  would  be  laid  bare 
for  monsieur's  use,"  replied  the  old  man,  and  I  be 
lieved  him. 

"  Come  Jacques,"  I  said,  "  sit  down  and  fall-to ; 
the  ride  to-day  must  have  put  an  edge  on  your 
appetite  !  "  for  we  had  eaten  nothing  since  the  early 
morning. 

After  supper  I  bade  Pierre  seat  himself  and  tell  us 
the  news  of  the  neighbourhood,  which  he  did  willingly, 
though  there  was  but  little  to  relate.  The  castle  still 
remained  closed,  and  when  I  asked  about  the  keys 
he  said  they  had  been  taken  away  by  the  officer,  and 
no  one  knew  what  had  become  of  them. 


A  Warning  from  L'Estang    201 

"  That  need  not  keep  us  out  long,"  said  Jacques,  "  we 
can  easily  get  fresh  ones  made  in  the  morning ;  Urie 
will  see  to  that." 

"  Has  Etienne  Cordel  been  in  the  village  lately  ?  " 
I  asked. 

"He  is  always  here,  monsieur,"  cried  the  old  man 
with  an  angry  outburst ;  "he  collects  the  money  for 
the  crown,  and  acts  as  if  he  were  the  rightful  owner. 
He  gives  himself  as  many  airs  as  if  he  were  some  great 
lord  !  " 

"  Which  he  may  be  one  of  these  days  ;  he  has  power- 
ful friends  at  Court.  Doesn't  he  talk  of  what  he  will 
do  in  the  future  ?  " 

"  He  tells  idle  tales,  monsieur,"  replied  Pierre  with 
a  frown. 

"  What  does  he  say  ?  " 

"  That  before  long  the  estates  will  be  his  own,  and 
that  the  king  has  promised  to  make  him  the  Sieur  Le 
Blanc.  He  is  going  to  live  in  the  castle  and  grind  us 
under  his  feet.  But" — and  the  old  man  shook  his 
head  scornfully — "  I  don't  think  his  life  at  the  castle 
will  be  a  long  one  I  A  rascally  lawyer  to  be  our  master, 
forsooth  !  " 

"  Well,  Pierre,"  I  said,  "  at  present  I  intend  living 
there  myself,  and  I  do  not  suppose  Cordel  will  care  to 
keep  me  company.  Send  word  to  Urie  that  I  shall 
need  his  services  at  dayUght,  and  now  we  will  go  to 
bed  ;    Jacques  is  half  asleep  already." 

"  I  do  feel  drowsy,  monsieur,"  said  Jacques,  almost 
as  if  it  were  a  crime  to  be  tired,  "  but  I  shall  be  fresh 
by  the  morning." 


2  02    A  Warning  from  L'Estang 

The  news  of  my  return  quickly  spread,  and  next 
day  all  the  village  had  assembled  outside  Pierre's 
door.  Men,  women  and  children  were  there,  and  I 
confess  their  hearty  and  genuine  welcome  touched 
me  very  closely.  I  had  always  been  a  favourite  with 
them,  and  the  death  of  my  father,  of  whose  prowess 
at  D'Angely  they  had  heard,  increased  their  love. 

"  Ho,  ho ! "  exclaimed  one  burly  fellow,  "  now 
that  our  young  lord  has  come  back  Monsieur  Cordel 
can  take  himself  off,  or  he  will  get  a  taste  of  my 
cudgel !  " 

"  No,  no,  my  friend !  "  I  cried  hastily,  for  his  com- 
panions had  begun  to  cheer,  "  you  must  not  interfere 
with  Monsieur  Cordel,  or  you  will  get  into  trouble.  I 
have  returned  to  Le  Blanc  by  the  king's  instructions, 
but  his  majesty  has  not  yet  signed  the  necessary  papers 
permitting  me  to  take  possession  of  my  property. 
That  will  come  in  time,  but  meanwhile  we  must  be 
patient  and  give  no  cause  of  offence." 

"  We  will  do  whatever  you  tell  us,  monsieur,"  they 
answered. 

From  the  first  streak  of  dawn  Urie,  the  blacksmith 
and  worker  in  iron,  had  with  the  assistance  of  Jacques 
been  busily  fashioning  the  new  keys.  It  was  a  trouble- 
some business,  and  evening  was  again  approaching 
when  I  succeeded  in  entering  my  old  home. 

Rather  to  my  surprise,  I  discovered  that  the  royal 
troops  had  committed  little  damage,  and  in  a  few  days, 
through  the  willing  labours  of  the  villagers,  everything 
was  restored  to  its  former  condition.  Several  of  my 
father's  old  servants  were  eager  to  return,  but,  know- 


A  Warning  from  L'Estang    203 

ing  how  uncertain  the  future  was,  I  decided  to  manage 
with  as  few  as  possible. 

"  I  fear,  monsieur,"  said  Jacques  one  evening,  about 
a  week  after  our  return,  "  that  we  must  expect  trouble." 

"  How  so  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Cordel  has  been  in  the  village,  and  has  gone  off 
in  a  towering  passion.  It  seems  he  has  only  just 
learned  of  your  arrival,  and  has  let  fall  several  threats 
to  old  Pierre." 

"  Pshaw  !  "  I  exclaimed,  "  what  harm  can  the  fellow 
do  us  ?  " 

"  I  do  not  know,  monsieur ;  but  he  is  a  false  knave 
and  full  of  cunning.  He  will  play  you  a  nasty  trick 
if  he  can  find  a  way !  " 

"  We  wUl  wait  till  that  time  comes,"  I  replied  cheer- 
fully, thinking  Jacques  had  magnified  the  danger. 

Cordel  did  not  tax  my  patience  long.  The  very 
next  afternoon  an  officer  with  an  escort  of  twenty 
troopers,  clattering  up  to  the  drawbridge,  demanded 
admittance  in  the  king's  name.  He  was  accompanied 
by  the  lawyer,  and,  knowing  it  would  be  folly  to  offer 
resistance,  I  ordered  the  bridge  to  be  lowered. 

"  Edmond  Le  Blanc  ?  "  said  the  officer  brusquely. 

"  Permit  me  to  put  you  right,"  I  replied :  "  the 
Sieur  Le  Blanc  !  " 

He  looked  at  Cordel,  who  said,  "  No  one  bears  that 
name  now.  His  father  was  outlawed,  and  his  estate 
confiscated.  The  castle  belongs  to  the  king ;  this 
fellow  has  no  right  here,  and,"  viciously,  "  I  doubt 
if  he  has  a  right  to  his  fife.  In  any  case,  as  the  king's 
representative,  I  order  you  to  arrest  him !  " 


204  A  Warning  from  L'Estang 

"  You  will  be  responsible  ?  "  asked  the  officer,  who 
seemed  suddenly  to  have  become  somewhat  timorous. 
"  You  will  give  me  an  order  in  writing  ?  " 

"  I  tell  you,"  exclaimed  Cordel  furiously,  taken 
aback  by  this  question,  "  that  I  am  carrying  out  the 
wishes  of  Monseigneur.  If  you  desire  to  make  an  enemy 
of  him,  you  must." 

"  But  Monseigneur  is  not  the  king,"  said  the  per- 
plexed officer. 

"  You  must  choose  between  them,"  I  remarked, 
rather  enjoying  his  dilemma.  "  This  man  appears 
to  shelter  himself  under  the  authority  of  Monseigneur  ; 
I  am  here  at  the  express  command  of  his  majesty,  to 
whom,  as  you  wear  his  uniform,  I  suppose  you  are 
responsible.  However,  the  business  is  none  of  mine, 
but  when  the  king  calls  you  to  account,  remember  that 
I  gave  you  warning." 

"  A  plague  on  you  both !  "  cried  the  officer,  now 
thoroughly  exasperated.  "  To  offend  Monseigneur  will 
be  bad  ;  to  offend  the  king  may  be  worse.  Do  I  under- 
stand, monsieur,  that  you  are  here  by  the  king's  wish  ?  " 

"  I  am  acting  on  his  instructions.  Of  course,  if 
you  force  me  to  accompany  you,  I  must  submit,  but 
it  will  be  at  your  own  peril." 

He  drew  Cordel  aside,  and  the  two  conversed  ear- 
nestly together  for  several  minutes.  Then,  turning 
to  me,  he  said,  "  I  am  going  away,  monsieur ;  when 
I  return  it  will  be  with  his  majesty's  order  in  my 
pocket." 

"  You  will  find  me  always  ready  to  obey  his  majesty's 
commands,"  I  answered,  and  at  that  the  whole  body 


A  Warning  from  L'Estang    205 

rode  off,  Cordel  turning  round  to  give  me  a  glance  of 
bitter  and  vindictive  hatred. 

"  The  lawyer's  first  move  1 "  observed  Jacques, 
who  had  been  standing  by  my  side  during  the  parley 
"  what  will  be  the  second  ?  " 

"  To  seek  the  advice  of  his  patron.  To-morrow 
most  likely  he  will  set  out  for  Paris.  It  was  bound 
to  come  to  this,  but  I  am  rather  sorry.  Mon- 
seigneur  has  immense  influence  over  the  king.  I 
fear  that  he  and  the  Queen-Mother  will  prove  more 
than  a  match  for  the  Admiral.  However,  we  will  go 
on  hoping  until  the  worst  happens." 

The  next  evening  Jacques  returned  with  the  inform- 
ation that  the  lawyer  had  departed.  Having  expected 
this  move  I  was  not  surprised,  but  it  made  my  pros- 
pects distinctly  gloomy.  Anjou  possessed  much  influ- 
ence at  Court,  and  the  king  was  hardly  likely  to  quarrel 
with  his  brother  over  the  affairs  of  an  unknown  and 
penniless  lad. 

Several  weeks  passed,  and  even  after  Cordel's  return 
from  Paris  I  remained  in  quiet  possession  of  the  castle. 
I  received  no  papers  from  the  king,  but,  on  the  other 
hand,  no  one  made  any  attempt  to  molest  me.  It 
appeared  as  if  the  cloud  had  passed  over  without 
bursting.  But  I  was  yet  to  learn  of  what  Etienne  Cordel 
was  capable. 

I  was  sitting  one  night  alone  in  my  room,  reading 
for  the  second  time  a  letter  from  Jeanne.  She  wrote 
very  brightly  and  hopefully.  She  continued  to  be  a 
decided  favourite  with  her  royal  mistress,  and  was 
very  happy  in  her  service.     This  was  good  news,  as 


2o6    A  Warning  from  L'Estang 

I  thought  it  unwise  for  her  to  come  to  Le  Blanc  until 
my  affairs  were  settled. 

She  wrote  at  great  length,  too,  on  a  subject  that  was 
producing  much  excitement  in  Queen  Joan's  little 
court.  This  was  a  proposal  that  Henry  of  Beam 
should  marry  the  king's  sister,  Margaret.  Charles 
was  said  to  be  eager  for  the  marriage,  which  was 
also  approved  of  by  the  leading  Huguenot  gentlemen, 
but  thus  far  Queen  Joan  had  refused  her  consent. 

"  Faith,"  I  said  to  myself,  "  nothing  could  be  better  ; 
it  would  give  our  party  a  strong  friend  at  Court.  It 
might  help  me  out  of  my  difficulty  too.  I  wish  the 
marriage  were  taking  place  to-morrow !  " 

It  was  a  wild  night  outside  ;  very  cold,  with  a  heavy 
downfall  of  rain,  while  now  and  then  the  wind  howled 
round  the  building  in  furious  gusts.  I  had  put 
the  letter  away,  and  was  sitting  down  again  when  some 
one  knocked  at  the  door.  Knowing  it  must  be  Jacques, 
I  told  him  to  enter. 

"  A  wild  night,  Jacques,"  I  remarked.  "  We  have 
the  best  of  it  indoors." 

"  Truly,  monsieur,  only  those  who  are  forced  will 
ride  abroad  in  weather  like  this.  But  there  is  one 
person  eager  enough  for  your  company  to  brave  the 
storm.  He  has  travelled  far,  too,  by  the  look  of  his 
horse." 

"  A  visitor  for  me  !    Where  is  he  ?    Who  is  it  ?  " 

"  He  is  in  the  courtyard,  where,  if  you  take  my  advice, 
you  will  let  him  stay.  As  to  who  he  is,  he  either  has 
no  name  or  is  too  shy  to  tell  it.  He  is  muffled  up  so 
closely  that  one  cannot  see  his  face."     , 


A  Warning  from  L'Estang     207 

"  And  he  will  not  give  his  name  ?  " 

"  He  says  it  is  sufficient  to  tell  you  he  is  the  writer 
of  the  letter  from  St.  Jean  d'Angely." 

"  It  is  all  right,  Jacques.  Have  the  horse  put  in 
the  stables,  and  bring  the  rider  here." 

"Is  it  wise,  monsieur  ?  One  cannot  be  too  care- 
ful in  these  days." 

"  The  man  is  a  friend,  Jacques,  and  will  do  me  no 
harm.     You  are  getting  fanciful." 

"  Very  good,  monsieur,"  said  he  stolidly,  and  turned 
away. 

"  The  writer  of  the  letter  from  St.  Jean  d'Angely," 
I  said.  "  He  must  have  come  from  Paris  on  purpose 
to  see  me  !  What  does  he  want  ?  Does  he  bring  news  ? 
What  a  dolt  Jacques  is !  Why  is  he  so  long  ?  Ah, 
they  are  coming !  "  and  in  my  eagerness  I  hurried 
to  the  door. 

My  visitor  was  heavily  cloaked  and  closely  muffled, 
and  he  made  no  movement  toward  undoing  his  wrap- 
pings. 

"  Is  it  L'Estang  ?  "  I  asked,  at  which  he  turned 
as  if  to  remind  me  that  my  servant  was  present. 

"  You  can  trust  Jacques  as  you  would  trust  myself," 
I  said ;  "  but  come  into  my  room,  while  he  prepares 
some  supper ;    you  are  wet ;    it  is  a  wild  night." 

"  A  terrible  night,  monsieur ;  I  was  glad  to  see  the 
walls  of  your  castle." 

Bidding  Jacques  see  that  a  good  meal  was  got  ready, 
I  led  my  visitor  into  my  chamber,  where  he  removed 
his  hat  and  cloak,  which  I  sent  away  to  be  dried.  I 
made  him  take  off  his  boots,  and  gave  him  a  change 


2o8    A  Warning  from  L'Estang 

of  clothing,  for  his  own  was  soaked  by  the  heavy 
rain. 

"  It  is  kind  of  you,  monsieur,"  he  said,  "  but  I  must 
depart  before  morning.  I  am  supposed  to  be  in  Paris, 
and  I  cannot  afford  to  be  recognized  here." 

"  Still,"  I  said  pleasantly,  "  you  may  as  well  be 
comfortable  while  you  remain.  No  one  will  see  you 
but  Jacques,  and  I  would  trust  him  with  my  life.  Join 
me  when  you  are  ready." 

Jacques  had  everything  arranged  so  that  there  was 
no  need  for  any  one  to  enter  the  room,  and  at  a  sign 
from  me  he  went  out,  though  very  reluctantly,  being 
afraid  apparently  lest  my  unexpected  visitor  should 
have  some  evil  design  on  my  hfe. 

L'Estang  sat  down  to  the  table  and  ate  and  drank 
like  a  man  who  had  fasted  long. 

"  It  is  a  curious  situation,  is  it  not  ?  "  said  he  pre- 
sently. "  Here  am  I,  in  the  service  of  Anjou,  accept- 
ing the  hospitality  of  one  of  Coligny's  attendants.  We 
ought  really  to  be  cutting  each  other's  throats  !  " 

"  There  can  be  no  question  of  strife  between  you 
and  me,  L'Estang." 

"  No,"  he  said  slowly,  "  I  am  too  much  in  your 
debt.     I  have  not  forgotten." 

"  You  repaid  me  at  D'Angely,  and  now  I  fancy  I 
shall  be  in  your  debt.  You  have  journeyed  from 
Paris  on  purpose  to  see  me  !  " 

"To  warn  you  of  danger ! " 

"  From  Cordel  ?  He  is  my  bitter  enemy,  and  hates 
me,  though  I  scarcely  know  why." 

"The  reason  is  plain.     You  are  in  his  way,  and 


A  Warning  from  L'Estang    209 

baulk  his  plans.  He  has  been  very  useful  to  Mon- 
seigneur,  and  is  deep  in  his  secrets." 

"  But  that  does  not  concern  me !  " 

L'Estang  looked  at  me  a  moment  before  reply- 
ing. "  It  concerns  you  very  nearly,  monsieur.  Cordel 
expects  to  be  paid  for  his  work,  and  his  wages  were 
agreed  upon  long  ago.  They  are  the  estates  of  Le 
Blanc,  and  a  patent  of  nobility.     Cordel  flies  high." 

"  It  appears  so." 

"  As  you  know,  the  estates  were  confiscated,  and  he 
was  made  receiver  for  the  crown.  That  was  the  first 
step.  Good  progress  had  been  made  with  the  second, 
when  Coligny  appesded  to  the  king  at  Blois." 

"  You  know  that  ?  " 

"  I  am  acquainted  with  many  things,"  he  answered, 
smiling.  "  The  king  brought  up  the  subject  in  Paris  ; 
Monseigneur  protested,  but  Charles  had  one  of  his 
obstinate  fits  and  declared  he  would  do  as  he  pleased. 
Monseigneur  went  to  his  mother,  who  talked  to 
Charles  with  the  result  that  the  papers  are  still 
unsigned." 

"  The  Admiral  will  use  his  influence,"  I  said. 

"  The  Admiral  is  a  broken  reed,  monsieur ;  but  if 
it  were  not  so,  your  danger  would  be  just  as  great. 
Cordel  has  been  in  Paris  :  he  is  furious  at  the  check 
to  his  plans,  and  afraid  lest  they  should  be  overthrown. 
He  can  see  but  one  way  out  of  the  difficulty." 

"  And  that  ?  " 

"  Is  obvious  ;  you  are  the  obstacle  in  his  path,  and 
he  intends  to  remove  it." 

"  You  mean  that  he  will  try  to  take  my  life  ?  " 

F.A.  14 


2IO     A  Warning  from  L'Estang 

**  If  you  were  dead,  he  would  obtain  the  estates 
without  trouble,  and  the  patent  would  follow." 

"  Pshaw  !  "  I  exclaimed,  "  Etienne  Cordel  is  too 
timorous  a  knave  to  play  with  naked  steel,  or  even  to 
fire  a  pistol  from  behind  a  hedge  !  " 

"  But  not  too  timorous  to  employ  others,"  said 
L'Estang.  "  There  are  scores  of  ruffians  in  Paris  ready 
to  earn  a  few  crowns,  and  Cordel  knows  where  to 
seek  them.  That  is  what  brought  me  here  to-night. 
Weigh  well  what  I  say,  monsieur.  This  rascal  has 
marked  you  down,  and  sleeping  or  waking  your  hfe 
is  in  danger." 

I  thanked  the  kind-hearted  adventurer  warmly 
for  his  service — ^it  was  strange  to  think  that  but  for  a 
trifling  accident  he  might  have  been  earning 
Cordel's  pay — and  promised  to  observe  the  greatest 
caution. 

"  If  I  learn  anything  more,"  he  said,  "  I  will  send 
you  a  note  by  a  trusty  messenger,  and  that  you  may 
be  sure  it  comes  from  me  I  will  sign  it  D'Angely." 

"  A  good  suggestion,  monsieur.  Now,  there  is 
still  time  for  an  hour  or  two's  sleep  before  starting  on 
your  journey." 

"  I  must  not  be  here  at  daylight :  if  Cordel  recognizes 
me,  I  can  do  you  no  more  good." 

"  The  mornings  are  dark ;  I  will  call  you  in  ample 
time,  and  Jacques  will  have  your  horse  ready.  You 
can  be  miles  away  from  Le  Blanc  before  the  villagers 
are  stirring." 

The  heavy  supper  and  the  warmth  of  the  room 
after  his  cold,  wet  ride  had  made  him  drowsy,  and  on 


A  Warning  from  L'Estang    211 

my  promising  to  call  him  at  the  end  of  two  hours  he 
went  to  bed. 

It  was  stiU  dark  when  Jacques  undid  the  fastenings 
of  the  gate,  and  I  bade  my  guest  farewell. 

"  Remember  my  warning  !  "  he  whispered,  "  and 
keep  free  from  Cordel's  clutches." 

"  A  short  visit,  monsieur,"  commented  Jacques,  as 
L'Estang  rode  off. 

"  But  full  of  interest,  nevertheless.  My  visitor 
came  all  the  way  from  Paris  in  this  wretched  weather 
and  at  some  risk  to  himself  to  warn  me  against  Etienne 
Cordel "  ;  and  thereupon  I  told  Jacques  the  story,  though 
without  revealing  the  adventurer's  identity. 

"  The  tale  rings  true,"  said  he,  "  but  we  ought  to 
be  a  match  for  the  lawyer's  cut-throats.  'Tis  a  pity 
that  Cordel  won't  give  us  a  chance  of  measuring  swords 
with  him." 

"  He  knows  better  how  to  handle  the  goose-quill," 
I  laughed,  leaving  Jacques  to  fasten  the  gate,  and 
returning  to  my  room. 


CHAPTER   XIX 

Who  Killed  the  Courier  ? 

L'Estang's  information  caused  me  a  certain  amount 
of  anxiety,  and  during  the  next  few  weeks  I  was  rarely 
abroad  except  for  a  ride  in  the  broad  dayHght.  Cordel, 
who  was  still  at  home,  occasionally  came  into  the 
village,  but  nothing  happened  that  served  to  show 
he  was  pushing  on  his  plot. 

Indeed,  as  Jacques  pointed  out  one  evening  when 
we  were  discussing  the  matter,  the  lawyer  had  a  dif- 
ficult game  to  play.  He  could  strike  at  me  only  out- 
side the  castle  walls,  while  the  villagers  were  my  de- 
voted friends,  and  every  man  of  them  would  be  eager 
to  put  me  on  my  guard. 

But  Cordel's  threats  had  apparently  ended  in  smoke. 
Week  followed  week ;  the  old  year  gave  place  to  the 
new,    and   I   remained   unmolested. 

About  the  beginning  of  February,  1572,  I  received 

another  letter  from   Jeanne,   informing  me   that  her 

royal   mistress   had   finally   consented   to   journey   to 

Blois,  and  that  they  would  set  out  in  a  week  or  two 

at  the  latest.     She  also  added,  in  a  brief  postcript  at 

the  end,  that  Roger  Braund  intended  to  pay  us  a  visit 

before  the  summer  ended. 

21a 


who  Killed  the  Courier  ?   213 

About  the  same  time  a  message  reached  me  from 
FeHx,  who  was  at  Blois  again,  in  attendance  on  our 
patron.  The  king,  he  wrote,  was  more  than  ever 
fixed  on  the  marriage  of  his  sister  Margaret  to  Henry 
of  Beam,  though  the  Pope  and  all  the  Guises  were 
bitterly  opposed  to  the  match.  "  But  the  marriage 
is  certain  to  take  place,"  he  concluded,  "  and  then, 
if  not  before,  I  trust  Charles  will  see  that  justice  is 
done  you." 

"  'Twas  from  Monsieur  Belli^vre,  Jacques,"  I  said, 
when  the  messenger  had  departed  with  my  reply ; 
"  he  is  at  Blois  once  more.  There  is  to  be  a  marriage 
between  the  king's  sister  and  our  Prince  Henry,  and 
the  Court  is  filled  with  excitement.  Do  you  know, 
Jacques,  I  am  getting  weary  of  this  hfe.  If  we  were 
at  Blois  I  should  have  a  chance  of  meeting  the  king 
and  pressing  my  claims.  The  longer  we  stay  here, 
the  more  likely  I  am  to  be  forgotten." 

"  True,  monsieur  ;  in  my  opinion  it  was  a  mistake  to 
come.  When  one  is  not  in  sight,  one  is  not  in  mind, 
and  the  Admiral  has  many  weighty  matters  to  think 
about." 

"  I  have  told  Monsieur  Belli^vre  what  I  think,  and 
asked  his  advice.  But  still,  I  cannot  return  without 
the  Admiral's  commands." 

The  next  morning  Jacques  came  early  to  my  room 
before  I  had  risen.  "  Monsieur,"  he  said,  "  will  you 
get  up  ?    A  strange  thing  has  happened." 

"  A  strange  thing  ? "  I  repeated,  springing  from 
the  bed. 

"  A  man  has  been  slain — at  least  I  believe  the  poor 


214  Who  Killed  the  Courier  ? 

fellow  is  dead — on  the  highroad.  Urie  found  him ; 
he  was  not  dead  then,  and  had  sufficient  strength  to 
whisper  your  name.  Urie  declares  that  he  said  quite 
distinctly,  '  Monsieur  Le  Blanc  ! '  so  he  had  him  brought 
here." 

"  Do  we  know  him  ? "  I  asked,  now  thoroughly 
roused. 

"  He  is  a  stranger  to  me.  I  have  never  seen  him 
before,  and  he  does  not  belong  to  these  parts.  But 
one  thing  is  certain  :    he  is  no  peaceable  citizen." 

All  this  time  I  was  hastily  dressing,  and  now,  filled 
with  curiosity,  I  accompanied  Jacques  to  the  room 
where  the  wounded  man  lay.  He  was  a  sturdy- 
looking  fellow,  in  the  prime  of  life,  tough,  wiry,  and 
with  muscles  well  developed  by  exercise.  His  dress 
was  that  of  an  ordinary  trooper ;  he  wore  a  long  knife 
at  his  girdle,  and  Urie  had  placed  his  sword,  which  was 
broken  and  stained  with  blood,  by  his  side.  The 
mark  of  an  old  scar  disfigured  his  left  cheek,  and  his 
chest  showed  that  he  had  been  wounded  more  than 
once  in  his  life.  Jacques  was  certainly  right  in  saying 
he  was  no  peaceable  citizen. 

Urie  had  fetched  the  cure,  who  had  bandaged  his 
hurts,  but  the  worthy  priest  shook  his  head  at  me  as 
if  to  say,  "  There  was  really  little  use  in  doing  it." 

"  Foul  work  !  "  I  exclaimed ;  "  the  man  must  have 
made  a  desperate  struggle  for  life.  Where  did  you 
find  him,  Urie  ?  " 

"  Just  outside  the  little  wood,  monsieur.  The 
ground  all  around  was  ploughed  up  by  horses'  hoofs, 
and  stained  with  blood.    I  should  say  he  was  attacked 


Who  Killed  the  Courier  ?   215 

by  at  least  three  horsemen.  I  thought  he  was  dead, 
but  when  I  bent  over  him  he  was  muttering  '  Mon- 
sieur Le  Blanc'  " 

"  Did  he  seem  sensible  ?  " 

"  I  asked  him  several  questions,  but  he  did  not 
reply,  except  to  repeat  monsieur's  name,  so  I  had  him 
brought  here." 

"  It  is  very  strange,"  I  said  ;  "  he  is  a  perfect  stran- 
ger ;  I  have  never  seen  him  before.  Why  should  he 
mention  my  name  ?     Is  it  possible  for  him  to  recover  ?  " 

"  Quite  impossible,  my  son,"  exclaimed  the  cure  ; 
"he  is  dying  fast ;  no  surgeon  could  do  anything  for 
him.  The  wonder  is  that  he  has  Uved  so  long.  He 
has  been  fearfully  hurt." 

"  Did  you  meet  no  strange  persons  in  the  village  ?  " 
I  asked  Urie. 

"  Not  a  soul,  monsieur.  It  was  very  early ;  the 
villagers  were  not  yet  about,  and  the  road  was  empty." 

The  wounded  man  groaned,  and  the  cure  partly 
raised  his  head,  when  he  seemed  more  comfortable. 
His  eyes  were  closed,  and  his  breath  came  in  quick 
gasps  ;  the  shadow  of  death  was  stealing  across  his 
face.  Would  he  have  strength  to  speak  before 
he  died  ?     It  was  unlikely. 

Who  was  he  ?  What  was  his  secret  ?  How  did 
it  concern  me  ?  These  and  a  dozen  similar  questions 
ran  through  my  mind  as  I  stood  there  watching  him 
die,  and  quite  helpless*  to  obtain  the  information  I 
needed.  Once  or  twice  he  stirred  uneasily ;  his  eyes 
opened  ;  his  fingers  strayed  uncertainly  over  the  bed 
^s   if  seeking  something  that  had  gone   astray,   and 


2i6   Who  Killed  the  Courier  ? 

presently  he  said  quite  distinctly,  but  very,  very 
faintly,  "  Le  Blanc  !  Monsieur  Le  Blanc  !  " 

"  He  is  here,"  said  the  cure  softly.  "  This  is  Mon- 
sieur Le  Blanc.     What  have  you  to  tell  him  ?  " 

I  do  not  know  if  the  man  heard ;  his  eyes  remained 
open ;  his  fingers  were  still  fumbling  among  the  bed- 
clothes ;  a  frown  clouded  his  forehead,  and  presently 
he  whispered,  but  to  himself,  not  to  us,  "  The  note  ! 
I  can't  find  it.     It  has  gone." 

I  bent  over  him,  placing  my  hand  on  his  brow.  "  The 
note  ?  "  I  said,  "  tell  me  about  it.  Who  gave  it  you  ? 
Come,  who  gave  you  the  note  that  is  lost  ?  " 

My  question  produced  an  effect,  but  not  the  one  I 
intended.  The  angry  scowl  spread  over  his  face  ;  the 
dying  eyes  filled  with  passion  ;  the  voice  became  quite 
strong  again  as  the  man  cried  angrily,  "  I  did  not  lose 
it.  I  earned  my  money.  It  was  stolen.  They  set 
on  me — three  of  them — they  were  too  many — I — I " 

A  great  hush  fell  across  us,  and  we  gazed  at  each 
other  blankly.  "It  is  too  late,"  said  the  cure ;  "he 
has  carried  his  secret  to  the  grave." 

"  Is  he  dead  ?  " 

"  Dead,  monsieur." 

"  We  must  make  inquiries,"  I  murmured.  "  Urie 
shall  show  us  the  place  where  he  found  the  body. 
Come,  Jacques,  we  can  do  no  good  here." 

"  I  will  follow  in  a  few  minutes,  monsieur.  I  wish 
to  discover  if  there  is  anything  by  which  we  can  identify 
the  stranger." 

Urie  and  I  went  out  together,  but  the  keenest  search 
failed  to  help  us.     The  dead  man's  horse  had  disap- 


Who  Killed  the  Courier  ?    217 

peared,  and  his  assailants  had  left  no  trace  behind 
them.  I  questioned  the  villagers  closely,  but  none 
could  throw  any  light  on  the  tragedy.  The  victim 
was  unknown  to  them,  and  no  one  had  seen  any  strange 
persons  in  the  neighbourhood.  Jacques,  too,  was 
at  fault,  having  failed  to  find  anything  in  the  stranger's 
clothing  that  would  tend  to  solve  the  mystery. 

"  It  is  a  curious  thing,  monsieur,"  he  remarked 
that  evening.  "  A  dead  body  on  the  highroad  is  not 
an  uncommon  sight,  but  this  man  was  coming  to  you 
on  a  special  errand." 

"  It  is  evident  he  was  bringing  me  a  letter.  The 
question  is — did  his  murderers  kill  him  to  obtain  pos- 
session of  it  ?  " 

"  The  note  has  disappeared." 

"  True,  and  I  am  inclined  to  think  it  was  the  pos- 
session of  the  letter  that  cost  him  his  life.  Now,  who 
are  the  persons  likely  to  write  to  me  ?  My  sister — 
but  we  can  dismiss  her — one  doesn't  commit  murder 
for  a  page  of  ordinary  gossip." 

"  No,"  said  Jacques,  "  I  do  not  think  the  poor  fellow 
was  a  messenger  from  Mademoiselle  Jeanne." 

"  There  is  Monsieur  Bellievre !  He  is  at  Court 
and  aware  of  what  is  going  on  there.  Is  it  likely  that 
he  has  heard  some  favourable  news,  and " 

"  Ah,  monsieur,"  Jacques  broke  in  hastily,  "  our 
thoughts  are  the  same.  These  cut-throats  are  in  the 
pay  of  Etienne  Cordel,  and  in  killing  this  poor  fellow 
they  have  struck  at  you.  But  how,  I  cannot  under- 
stand." 

"  We  know  that  Cordel  has  friends  at  Court,"  I  con- 


2 1 8     who  Killed  the  Courier  ? 

tinued.  "  Let  us  suppose  for  an  instant  that  the  king 
has  agreed  to  sign  the  papers  ;  the  lawyer  would  learn 
the  news  quickly  enough." 

"  Yes,  monsieur,"  agreed  Jacques,  "  that  is  so. 
But  how  does  that  help  us  ?  " 

"  Thus.  Monsieur  Bellidvre  or  the  Admiral  writes, 
giving  me  the  infonnation,  and  advising  me  to  return. 
I  arrive  at  Blois,  or  wherever  the  Court  may  be ;  the 
papers  are  signed,  and  Cordel's  chance  of  the  estates 
has  vanished.  He  certainly  might  kill  me  afterwards, 
but  it  could  be  only  in  revenge." 

"  But,  monsieur,  the  news  could  not  have  been  kept 
from  you  for  long.  Besides,  the  journey  to  Blois 
would  have  given  the  lawyer  the  very  chance  he  wanted. 
It  would  have  suited  him  better  for  the  letter  to  have 
reached  you.  Then  his  ruffians  would  have  waited, 
and  have  waylaid  you  on  the  road." 

"  He  might  not  have  thought  of  that !  " 

"  It  would  not  have  needed  much  cunning,  mon- 
sieur !  " 

"  There  is  just  one  other  solution  possible,"  I  said. 
**  You  remember  the  man  who  came  here  on  the  night 
of  the  wild  storm  ?  You  did  not  recognize  him, 
but " 

"  I  am  hardly  likely  to  forget  the  man  who  tried 
hard  to  kill  both  of  us  !  "  interrupted  Jacques. 

"  You  have  kept  your  knowledge  very  close  then !  " 
I  replied. 

"  I  had  no  wish  to  pry  into  your  secrets,  mon- 
sieur." 

■'  It  was  not  exactly  a  secret.    Something  happened 


Who  Killed  the  Courier  ?   219 

while  you  were  with  the  Count  of  St  Cyr.  I  had  this 
man's  life  in  my  hand,  and  spared  it." 

Jacques  shrugged  his  shoulders  as  if  to  imply  that 
he  had  hardly  thought  me  capable  of  acting  so  foolishly. 

"  He  is  in  Monseigneur's  service,  and,  as  you  know, 
came  to  warn  me  against  Etienne  Cordel.  He  pro- 
mised, if  he  could  ferret  out  the  lawyer's  schemes,  to 
write  to  me." 

"  Do  you  really  trust  this  fellow,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  He  bears  no  love  to  those  of  the  Religion,"  I  an- 
swered ;  "  but  for  me  personally  I  believe  he  would 
lay  down  his  Ufe." 

"  Very  good,"  said  Jacques,  as  if  argument  was 
utterly  useless  against  such  folly. 

"  I  was  thinking  it  possible  that  in  coming  to 
or  going  from  Le  Blanc  he  was  recognized.  If  so,  the 
lawyer  would  be  put  on  his  guard." 

"  There  is  certainly  something  in  that,  monsieur." 

"  And  if  he  sent  me  a  warning  message,  it  would 
be  to  Cordel's  interest  to  secure  it." 

"  'Twould  be  easy  to  test  the  truth  of  the  matter," 
said  Jacques.  "  Tliis  fellow  will  be  with  Monseigneur  ; 
let  me  go  to  him,  and  put  the  question  directly.  In 
that  way,  if  you  are  right,  we  shall  get  at  the  lawyer's 
schemes  in  spite  of  his  villainy.  I  will  not  loiter  on 
the  road,  and  I  don't  see  how  any  danger  can  happen 
to  you  before  my  return." 

We  talked  the  plan  over,  and  at  length  I  agreed  that 
Jacques  should  start  on  the  journey  the  next  morning. 
I  gave  him  the  name  of  my  strange  friend,  and  he  pro- 
mised to  get  to  work  with  the  utmost  cautioq. 


2ZO    Who  Killed  the  Courier  ? 

"  It  is  possible,"  I  remarked,  "  you  will  find  him  at 
Blois,  and  in  that  case  you  will  have  an  opportunity 
of  tcdking  with  Monsieur  Bellievre.  Tell  him  that 
Mademoiselle  Jeanne  is  accompanying  the  Queen  of 
Navarre." 

He  went  to  the  stables,  and  I  did  not  see  him  again 
until  just  before  my  time  for  going  to  bed,  when  he 
returned  looking  gloomy  and  troubled. 

"  I  have  been  thinking,  monsieur,"  he  said  rather 
shamefacedly,  "  and  I  am  beginning  to  doubt  the 
wisdom  of  my  advice.  If  Cordel's  ruffians  are  close 
at  hand,  my  going  away  will  make  their  work  easier. 
Now  that  it  comes  to  the  point  I  do  not  like  leaving 
you,  and  that  is  the  truth." 

"  That's  a  poor  compliment,  Jacques  !  "  I  laughed  ; 
"  evidently  you  don't  think  I  can  take  care  of  myself.' 

"  The  poor  fellow  they  brought  here  this  morning 
was  as  strong  as  you,  and  had  as  much  experience, 
but  he  is  dead  all  the  same." 

"  I  will  take  care,  Jacques ;  I  will  go  only  into 
the  village,  and  if  it  will  make  you  feel  more  easy,  Urie 
shall  sleep  here  at  night  all  the  time  you  are  away." 

He  was  somewhat  relieved  by  this  promise,  and 
liis  face  brightened  considerably. 

"  Let  Urie  bring  an  iron  bar,"  he  laughed,  "  and 
a  man  need  wear  a  thick  steel  cap  to  save  his  skull !  " 

I  went  to  bed  hoping  to  obtain  a  good  night's  rest, 
but  the  startling  tragedy  had  weakened  my  nerves 
more  than  I  guessed,  and  I  lay  awake  a  long  time, 
wondering  what  the  secret  was  that  the  dead  man  had 
carried  with  him  to  the  grave.     Was  he  really  a  mes- 


Who  Killed  the  Courier  ?    221 

senger  from  L'Estang  ?  And  if  so,  what  was  the  news 
he  was  bringing  ?  I  Uttle  dreamed  that  one  of  these 
questions  was  to  be  answered  within  a  few  hours. 

We  rose  early ;  I  saw  that  Jacques  made  a  good 
breakfast,  and  was  standing  in  the  courtyard  giving 
him  his  final  instructions  when  we  heard  the  clatter 
of  hoofs,  and  saw  a  horseman  coming  at  a  gallop  up 
the  slope. 

"  Another  visitor  !  "  I  exclaimed,  "  and  one  appar- 
ently in  a  desperate  hurry." 

Jacques  dismounted,  saying,  "  He  looks  as  if  he  had 
been  frightened  half  out  of  his  wits.  Stay  here,  mon- 
sieur, while  I  find  out  what  he  wants." 

In  a  few  minutes  he  returned  with  the  man,  who, 
jumping  from  his  horse,  said  questioningly,  "  Mon- 
sieur Le  Blanc  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  I  said,  looking  at  him  keenly.  He  might 
have  been  own  brother  to  the  poor  fellow  whom  Urie 
had  found  by  the  wood.  He  was  short  but  strongly 
built ;  his  face  was  scarred ;  his  skin  red  and  rough 
through  continual  exposure  to  the  weather.  He  carried 
a  sword  and  a  long  knife,  and  a  pair  of  pistols  peeped 
from  the  holsters.  Plainly  he  was  a  man  accustomed 
to  take  his  life  in  his  hand. 

"  You  have  ridden  fast !  "  I  remarked,  for  his  animal's 
sides  were  lathered  with  foam. 

"  I  was  paid  to  ride  fast !  "  he  answered  surlily  ; 
"  my  employer  feared  you  would  have  started." 

"  Started  !  "    I  echoed  in  surprised,  "  whither  ?  " 

"  He  did  not  confide  in  me,"  the  fellow  replied, 
"and  I  didn't  ask;   'twould  have  been  no  use.     My 


222    Who  Killed  the  Courier  ? 

orders  were  to  ride  for  my  life,  to  give  you  a  letter,  and 
afterwards  to  guide  you  to  a  certain  place  mentioned 
in  the  note." 

"  And  who  is  your  employer  ?  " 

"  I  had  no  orders  to  tell  that ;  I  expect  he  has  writ- 
ten it  down  here,  **  and  the  fellow  handed  me  a  sealed 
packet. 

As  he  raised  his  arm  I  noticed  a  hole,  apparently 
made  by  a  bullet,  through  his  cloak. 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  that  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  It  means,"  said  he  grimly,  "  that  had  I  not  received 
orders  to  make  no  delay  on  my  journey,  there  would 
have  been  one  rogue  less  in  your  part  of  the  world, 
monsieur." 

"  You  have  been  attacked  on  the  road  ?  "  I  said, 
with  a  swift  glance  at  Jacques. 

"  The  bullet  went  a  trifle  wide,"  he  answered  shortly, 
"  but  it  came  close  enough  for  my  comfort." 

"  Well,"  exclaimed  Jacques,  "  a  miss  is  as  good  as 
a  mile.  Come  and  have  some  breakfast,  while  mon- 
sieur reads  his  letter.  Both  you  and  the  animal  need 
food  and  rest." 

Leaving  my  servant  and  the  messenger  together,  I 
returned  to  my  own  room,  and  opened  the  packet. 
As  I  more  than  half  expected,  the  letter  was  signed 
"  D'Angely."  It  was  very  short,  but  it  answered  one 
of  the  questions  I  had  been  cisking  myself. 

"  Since  sending  my  first  messenger,"  it  ran,  "  Mon- 
seigneur's  business  calls  me  immediately  to  Poictiers  ; 
so  I  must  meet  you  there  instead.  Start  at  once ; 
you  can  trust  the  bearer," 


who  Killed  the  Courier  ?    223 

Directly  Jacques  was  at  liberty  he  joined  me,  and 
I  handed  him  the  letter  without  comment. 

"  That  clears  up  one  point  of  the  mystery,"  said  he. 
"It  is  plain  the  lawyer  knows  he  has  this  L'Estamg 
to  fight  against ;  but  'tis  a  pity  your  friend  does  not 
give  a  hint  of  what  is  in  progress.  He  might,  for  in- 
stance, have  sent  a  description  of  Cordel's  tools." 

"  Very  probably  he  did.  You  forget  that  this  letter 
only  supplements  the  first  one." 

"  Yes,"  said  Jacques,  adding,  "  will  you  go  to 
Poictiers,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  I  must.  L'Estang  may  have  something  of  im- 
portance to  tell  me." 

"  He  could  have  written  it,"  said  Jacques.  "  I 
don't  like  this  journey.  These  assassins  are  on  the 
watch.  One  messenger  killed,  and  the  next  shot  at 
— we  can  be  sure  they  won't  let  you  pass  free." 

"  There  are  three  of  us,"  I  replied  lightly — "  you 
and  I  and  L'Estang's  courier,  and  he  seems  well  able 
to  take  care  of  himself.  Let  us  get  ready  while  he  is 
resting." 


CHAPTER   XX 

L'Estang's  Courier 

"  The  stranger  rides  a  fine  beast,"  remarked  Jacques, 
as  we  entered  the  stables  ;  "  it  has  stood  the  long  journey 
well.  The  grooming  and  feed  of  oats  have  made  it  as 
fresh  as  ever." 

"  Did  he  tell  you  his  name  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  No  ;  he  is  a  surly  rascal.  If  he  were  to  be  in  our 
company  long,  I  should  have  to  teach  him  good  manners. 
Had  I  not  better  waken  him  ?  We  shall  not  reach 
Poictiers  to-night." 

"  Yes  ;  tell  him  we  are  ready  to  start.  I  have  no 
wish  to  pass  the  night  at  some  village  inn." 

L'Estang's  messenger  was  indeed  a  surly  fellow.  He 
came  into  the  courtyard  rubbing  his  eyes  and  grumbling 
at  being  disturbed.  His  patron  might  not  reach  the 
town  before  the  morning,  he  said,  and  it  would  be  better 
for  us  to  make  a  two  days'  journey.  His  horse  was 
tired,  and  likely  to  break  down  on  the  way. 

"  Little  fear  of  that !  "  declared  Jacques  brusquely ; 
"  the  beast  has  strength  for  a  hundred  miles  yet. 
'Tis  as  fine  a  creature  as  I  have  seen." 

The  courier  looked  at  him  with  a  gratified  smile. 

224 


L'Estang's  Courier         225 


"  Yes,"  he  said,  brightening  up,  "  'tis  as  good  an  animal 
as  monsieur  has  in  his  stables." 

He  replaced  the  saddle  and  tightened  the  girths,  but 
spent  so  much  time  over  the  business  that  Jacques  was 
hard  put  to  it  to  restrain  his  impatience.  However,  he 
was  ready  at  last,  and  we  all  three  rode  down  the  slope, 
and  along  the  road  toward  the  wood. 

Jacques  and  the  courier  rode  together  a  little  in  the 
rear,  and,  turning  round,  I  remarked  pleasantly,  "  By  the 
way,  my  good  fellow,  I  suppose  you  have  a  name  of  your 
own  ?  " 

"  I  can't  say  if  it's  mine  or  not,"  he  replied  sulkily, 
"  but  men  call  me  Casimir." 

"Is  this  the  place  where  you  were  attacked  ?  "  I  asked, 
as  we  came  to  the  wood. 

The  fellow  returned  no  answer,  but,  suddenly  seizing 
his  pistol  and  spurring  his  horse  cruelly,  he  dashed  to 
the  front  and  disappeared.  A  minute  or  two  later,  we 
heard  a  loud  report,  and  Jacques  and  I  gazed  at  each 
other  in  amazement. 

"  Your  friend  sent  you  a  pretty  guide,  monsieur," 
said  Jacques ;   "  the  fellow  must  be  crazy  !  " 

"  He  fancied,  perhaps,  that  he  perceived  one  of  his 
assailants." 

"  I  saw  nothing,  and  heard  nothing ;  but  he  is 
coming  back.  Well,  my  friend,  did  you  get  a  successful 
shot  ?" 

"  No,"  replied  Casimir,  who  seemed  angry  at  his  own 
clumsiness,  "  I  missed.  But  there  are  more  days  than 
one  in  a  week,  and  my  turn  will  come  yet !  Did  you 
get  a  good  view  of  the  fellow,  monsieur  ?  " 

F.A.  15 


2  2  6  L'Estang's   Courier 

I  admitted  that  I  had  neither  seen  nor  heard  any  one, 
at  which  he  cried  scornfully :  "  Tis  plain  I  shall  have 
to  be  eyes  and  ears  for  the  party.  He  was  half  hidden 
by  yonder  tree,  but  I  saw  the  barrel  of  his  arquebus. 
Had  I  known  I  was  to  be  dragged  into  your  quarrels,  I 
would  have  stayed  in  Paris  !  " 

"  Tell  me  where  to  find  your  patron,  and  you  can 
return  at  once,"  I  said  sternly ;  "  I  want  no  unwilling 
service  !  "  but,  muttering  something  under  his  breath, 
he  once  more  took  his  place  beside  Jacques. 

"  'Tis  a  rough  dog,  L'Estang  has  sent  me,"  I  thought, 
"  but  one  that  will  bite  if  need  be.  I  wonder  if  the 
fellow  he  fired  at  was  one  of  Cordel's  ruffians  ?  Strange 
that  neither  Jacques  nor  I  saw  him." 

The  incident  had  rendered  us  more  cautious,  and  we 
proceeded  through  the  wood  carefully,  keeping  a  sharp 
lookout  and  listening  intently  ;  but  the  mysterious  man 
had  vanished  so  completely  that  I  began  to  wonder  if 
Casimir  had  not  been  a  victim  of  his  imagination. 

From  the  wood  we  turned  into  the  highroad,  and  after 
travelling  steadily  for  nearly  three  hours  halted  at  a 
wayside  inn.  For  myself  I  wished  to  push  on,  and 
Jacques  was  equally  impatient,  but  our  guide  com- 
plained that  his  horse  was  tired  and  needed  a  rest. 

"  'Twould  be  foUy  to  risk  foundering  a  valuable  animal 
for  the  sake  of  getting  to  a  place  before  one  is  wanted 
there,"  said  he,  laughing  as  if  he  had  made  some  humor- 
ous remark.  But  laughter  was  not  Casimir's  strong 
point,  and  he  made  a  sorry  business  of  it. 

However,  since  we  were  entirely  in  his  hands,  he  had 
his  way,  and  much  precious  time  was  wasted. 


L'Estang's   Courier         227 


"  It  will  take  us  three  days  at  this  rate  to  reach 
Poictiers,"  grumbled  Jacques,  as  we  resumed  the 
journey. 

"  We  shall  be  there  as  soon  as  we  are  expected," 
returned  Casimir,  who  "seemed  to  have  a  fresh  fit  of 
sullenness,  which  increased  rather  than  lessened  as  we 
proceeded. 

About  five  miles  from  our  stopping-place,  two  horse- 
men overtook  us.  They  were  cantering  briskly  along, 
but  drew  rein  to  bid  us  good-day. 

"  Are  you  for  Poictiers  ?  "  asked  one  of  them  pleas- 
antly, but  before  I  had  time  to  reply  our  guide  broke 
in  roughly: 

"  We  are  going  where  we  please.  The  highroad  is 
free  to  all,   I  suppose  !  " 

"  Certainly,  friend,  and  I  doubt  if  many  travellers 
would  care  to  share  it  with  you.  A  civil  question  is 
worth  a  civil  answer." 

"  Our  business  is  our  own,"  muttered  Casimir,  "  and 
we  are  able  to  look  after  it." 

The  horseman  who  had  first  spoken  was  on  the 
point  of  making  an  angry  reply,  but  his  companion  ex- 
claimed with  a  laugh,  "  Let  the  boor  alone  to  do  his 
business  ;  by  the  look  of  his  face  'twill  bring  him  pretty 
close  to  the  hangman's  rope  !  "  and,  taking  no  further 
notice  of  us,  they  galloped  on. 

"  By  my  faith,  Casimir,"  I  exclaimed  hotly,  "  your 
Parisian  manners  are  not  of  the  pleasantest.  I  could 
wish  that  your  patron  had  employed  a  less  boorish 
messenger." 

"  See  here,  monsieur,"  said  he,  "  there  is  no'need  for 


2  2  8  L'Estang's  Courier 

us  to  quarrel,  but  I  don't  intend  losing  my  life  on  your 
account,  and  it's  plain  there  is  some  one  who  bears  you 
no  goodwill.  How  do  I  know  who  these  travellers 
are  ?  They  may  belong  to  the  same  gang  that  shot  at  me 
in  the  wood  !  " 

"  Well,"  I  returned  rather  scornfully,  "  since  you  are 
so  fearful  of  being  in  my  company  we  had  better  push  on 
faster.  The  sooner  you  bring  me  to  your  patron  the 
sooner  you  can  take  yourself  off." 

The  rebuke  apparently  produced  some  effect,  and  for  a 
time  we  proceeded  at  a  fairly  rapid  pace ;  but  the  best 
part  of  the  day  was  over,  and  the  late  afternoon  was 
already  closing  in.  To  reach  Poictiers  before  nightfall 
was  out  of  the  question,  and  I  began  to  resign  myself 
to  sleeping  at  some  wayside  inn. 

"  At  any  rate,"  I  thought,  "  there  can  be  little  danger. 
What  with  Casimir's  fears  and  Jacques'  vigilance  I  shall 
receive  plenty  of  warning." 

I  was  never  an  advocate  of  overboldness,  but  our 
guide  erred  in  the  other  extreme.  He  became  more  and 
more  nervous  and  fidgety,  stopping  a  dozen  times  to 
listen,  fancying  he  heard  the  beat  of  horses'  hoofs  in  our 
rear,  and  declaring  we  were  being  followed.  And  the 
more  his  nervousness  increased,  the  more  Jacques  and  I 
laughed  at  his  fears. 

It  was  f  Eist  getting  dark  when  we  entered  a  narrow  road, 
where  there  was  scarcely  room  for  Jacques  and  Casimir 
to  ride  abreast.  To  the  right  was  a  wall  of  rock,  to  the 
left  a  steep  stony  slope,  on  which  one  might  easily  break 
a  limb  if  not  one's  neck.  I  rode  a  little  in  advance  ; 
Jacques  on  the  edge  of  the  slope,  and  Casimir  next 


L'Estang's  Courier  229 

to  the  wall.  It  was  so  dark  that  we  could  see  hardly'more 
than  a  few  yards  ahead,  and  I  warned  Jacques  to  be 
careful. 

Suddenly  our  guide,  crying,  "  Stop  a  minute,  mon- 
sieur, my  horse  has  a  stone  in  its  foot !  "  jumped  to  the 
ground. 

What  the  reason  was  I  had  no  suspicion  at  the  time, 
though  it  was  easy  enough  to  guess  afterwards ;  but  the 
animal  began  plunging  and  rearing  so  violently  that  its 
owner  had  hard  work  to  hold  it.  Jacques  had  no  time 
to  escape  the  danger,  and,  before  I  realized  what  had 
happened,  his  frightened  horse,  edging  away  from  the 
kicking  creature  at  its  side,  toppled  over  the 
slope. 

When  in  after  da\'s  I  related  the  story  to  Felix,  he 
laughed  at  my  simplicity,  saying  I  ought  to  have  guessed 
the  secret  from  the  beginning ;  but,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  even  when  my  servant  disappeared  I  had  no 
thought  of  treachery.  I  hugged  the  wall  closely,  and 
looked  round. 

"Get  down,  monsieur,"  cried  Casimir  loudly;  "get 
down  and  help  me.    The  beast  has  gone  crazy." 

Now  I  could  dismount  only  in  front  of  the  plunging 
brute,  and  having  no  desire  to  be  kicked  to  death,  and 
the  danger  being  pressing,  I  seized  my  pistol  and  shot 
the  animal  in  the  forehead.  Being  a  keen  lover  of  horses 
I  hated  to  do  it,  but  there  was  no  alternative. 

The  effect  of  the  shot  produced  a  far  more  serious  re- 
sult than  I  intended.  The  poor  beast,  plunging  madly, 
must  have  kicked  Casimir  in  its  last  desperate  struggle, 
for  a  scream  of  agony  rang  out  wildly  on  the  night  air, 


230  L'Estang's   Courier 

and  I  could  just  distinguish  the  man's  body  lying 
motionless. 

This  was  not  all.  The  report  from  my  pistol  was  quickly 
followed  by  two  others,  and  a  couple  of  bullets  whizzed 
past  my  head.  The  next  instant  I  heard  the  clatter  of 
hoofs,  and  two  horsemen  came  tearing  along  the  road 
toward  me.  Bewildered  by  these  sudden  and  startling 
events,  I  had  yet  sufficient  presence  of  mind  to  realize 
that  I  had  been  trapped,  and  that  my  only  chance  of 
escape  lay  in  flight. 

Turning  my  animal's  head,  I  prepared  to  gallop  off, 
when  I  found  my  way  barred  by  another  horseman,  who 
had  come  up  during  the  struggle.  The  sudden  move- 
ment saved  my  life ;  he  was  in  the  very  act  of  firing  when 
I  struck  at  him  fiercely,  and  he  dropped  across  his  saddle 
with  a  cry  of  pain. 

The  road  was  now  open,  and,  keeping  as  far  from  the 
slope  as  possible,  I  stretched  my  horse  to  his  utmost 
speed.  It  was  a  mad  gallop,  with  the  risk  of  a  sudden 
and  violent  death  in  every  foot  of  the  road.  My  pur- 
suers were  not  far  behind,  but  I  dared  not  look  round. 
My  limbs  shook,  the  sweat  poured  in  streams  down  my 
face  ;  I  could  not  think,  I  could  only  sit  firm  and  leave 
my  fate  in  the  hands  of  Providence. 

My  poor  horse  bounded  along  like  a  crazy  thing,  but 
he  kept  his  footing,  though  every  moment  I  expected 
him  to  tumble  headlong.  The  men  behind  must 
have  ridden  more  warily,  for  the  sound  of  hoofs,  though 
still  audible,  became  more  faint  and  indistinct. 

I  could  have  cried  aloud  in  joyful  triumph  as  my  gal- 
lant horse  flew  out  from  the  narrow  pass  on  to  the  broad 


I  Stretched  My  Horse  to  iiis  Ltmost  Speed. 


L'Estang's   Courier         231 

road.  My  pursuers  were  now  far  in  the  rear,  and  I  had 
a  moment  to  think.  Whoever  they  were,  they  knew 
I  had  come  from  Le  Blanc,  and  would  expect  me  to  re- 
turn there.  My  best  plan  was  to  let  them  pass,  and  then 
go  back  in  search  of  Jacques.  Even  to  save  my  own 
life  I  must  not  desert  my  trusty  servant. 

In  a  few  seconds  I  had  formed  my  plan,  and  acted 
upon  it.  Leaving  the  highroad,  I  struck  into  the  open 
country,  and  dismounting,  concealed  my  horse  in  a 
hollow.  Several  minutes  passed  before  the  two  horse- 
men came  galloping  by,  evidently  bent  on  following  me  to 
Le  Blanc. 

As  soon  as  they  had  gone  out  of  hearing,  I  mounted 
again  and  returned  quickly  but  cautiously  to  the  spot 
where  the  startling  struggle  had  taken  place.  Casimir 
still  lay  where  he  had  fallen,  by  the  side  of  his  horse. 
The  second  animal  had  disappeared,  but  its  rider  was 
huddled  against  the  wall  groaning,  and  talking  as  if  in 
delirium. 

"  It  was  not  my  fault,  monsieur,"  he  was  saying,  "Casi- 
mir bungled  it ;   he  struck  too  soon." 

His  head  had  evidently  been  dashed  with  great  violence 
against  the  wall  and  I  could  do  little  for  him.  Besides, 
there  was  my  servant  to  be  considered.  Tying  my 
horse  securely,  I  advanced  to  the  edge  of  the  slope,  and 
cried  aloud,  "  Jacques  !  Jacques  !  " 

There  was  no  answer,  and  my  heart  sank  as  I  thought 
how  likely  it  was  that  the  poor  fellow  lay  there  dead, 
killed  by  the  terrible  fall.  I  found  the  spot  where  his 
horse  had  slipped,  and  groped  my  way  down,  still  calling 


232  L'Estang's  Courier 

his  name.  And  at  last  I  heard  a  feeble  "  I  am  here, 
monsieur !  " 

"  Where  ?  "  I  cried,  "  where  ?  "  and,  guided  by  the 
sound  of  his  voice,  I  made  my  way  toward  him. 

He  was  half  lying,  half  sitting  at  the  foot  of  a  chestnut 
tree,  and  at  my  approach  he  struggled  to  his  feet. 

"  I  am  coming  round,  monsieur,"  he  said  in  a  whisper, 
"  I  must  have  been  stunned.  I  do  not  know  what 
happened ;  I  think  I  must  have  been  thrown  against 
a  tree." 

"  Sit  down,"  I  commanded,  "  and  rest  while  I  find  the 
horse  and  get  your  pistols  ;  they  may  be  useful." 

The  poor  beast  had  rolled  to  the  bottom  of  the  slope, 
and  was,  of  course,  quite  dead ;  so  I  removed  the 
pistols  and  returned  to  Jacques  hastily. 

"  We  were  trapped,  monsieur,"  he  whispered. 

"  Yes,"  I  agreed,  "  but  we  can  talk  of  that  later.  The 
question  now  is  whether  you  can  get  to  the  top  of  the 
slope.  Lean  on  me  and  take  your  time.  There  is  not 
much  danger.  Casimir  and  a  second  man  are  dead,  two 
others  are  galloping  in  the  direction  of  Le  Blanc.  Now, 
are  you  ready  ?  " 

"  I  shall  soon  be  all  right.  There  is  no  bone  broken ; 
it  is  my  head  that  pains  ! " 

His  steps  at  first  were  very  tottery,  and  he  had  need 
of  support,  but  once  we  reached  level  ground  he  walked 
steadily.  We  paused  at  Casimir 's  body,  and  Jacques  said 
thoughtfully,  "  He  was  a  cunning  rogue  ;  he  deceived  me 
to  the  very  end.  Poor  fellow,  I  am  sorry  to  see  him  like 
this,  but  he  took  his  risks.  He  thought  to  kill  me  and 
he  is  dead  himself." 


L'Estang's  Courier  233 

I  went  over  to  the  second  of  our  assailants.  He  had 
fallen  forward  on  his  face  ;  his  heart  had  ceased  beating  ; 
he  lay  quite  motionless.  He  was  beyond  human  aid, 
and  we  turned  away  quietly.  The  dead  must  ever  give 
place  to  the  claims  of  the  living. 

Jacques,  who  was  fast  recovering  from  the  blow  on  his 
head,  now  seemed  capable  of  discussing  the  situation 
with  me.  What  was  best  to  be  done  was  the  question 
in  my  mind.  We  had  but  the  one  horse,  which  could 
not  carry  both  of  us,  and  Jacques  was  too  weak  to  walk 
far.  It  was  plain  that  if  we  returned  to  Le  Blanc  he 
must  ride,  in  spite  of  his  objection. 

But  was  it  safe  to  return  ?  At  any  moment  our  two 
assailants  might  abandon  the  pursuit,  and  we  were  not 
equal  to  continuing  the  fight.  They  were  doubtless 
strong,  sturdy  ruffians,  well  armed,  and  experienced  in 
the  use  of  their  weapons.  I  should  be  on  foot,  and  unable 
to  count  on  Jacques  for  much  assistance. 

"  I  think,"  I  said,  "  we  had  better  conceal  ourselves 
until  the  morning  ;  they  will  hardly  dare  to  attack  us  in 
broad  daylight.  Besides,  we  can  hire  a  horse  at  one  of 
the  inns." 

"  Why  not  stay  here  ?  "  asked  my  companion.  "  They 
may  come  back  to  see  if  their  comrades  are  Uving  ;  then 
we  can  pounce  on  them." 

Poor  old  Jacques  !  He  was  as  brave  as  a  lion,  and 
gave  no  thought  to  his  weakness. 

After  a  while  I  convinced  him  that  my  plan  was  the 
best,  so  we  unfastened  the  horse,  and,  leaving  the  two 
bodies,  walked  slowly  along  the  narrow  road,  and  so  tj 
the  hollow  where  I  had  already  lain. 


2  34  L'Estang's  Courier 

Having  secured  the  horse  so  that  he  would  not  stray, 
I  compelled  my  servant,  much  against  his  wish,  to  lie 
down  in  a  sheltered  nook,  and  covered  him  with  my  cloak, 
for  the  night  was  bitterly  cold. 

"  A  good  sleep  will  clear  your  brain,"  I  remarked, 
"  and  you  will  need  all  your  wits  in  the  mornings" 

Walking  briskly  to  and  fro  in  order  to  keep  my- 
self warm,  I  listened  intently  for  the  sound  of  hoofs.  Per- 
haps three  hours  had  passed — the  time  seemed  an  age — 
when  clambering  softly  from  the  guUy  and  advancing  to 
the  roadside  I  stretched  myself  flat  on  the  grass.  Two 
horsemen  were  approaching  slowly,  and  their  animals 
were  jaded  and  leg- weary. 

They  came  close  to  me  at  a  walking  pace ;  I  could 
dimly  distinguish  their  figures  as  they  leaned  forward ; 
they  were  level  with  me,  one  so  close  that  I  could  have 
shot  him  dead  with  my  eyes  shut ;  but  it  was  horrible 
to  think  of  slaying  a  fellow  creature  in  cold  blood,  and  I 
let  them  pass.  Slowly  and  painfully  they  proceeded  until 
at  length  they  reached  the  narrow  road. 

Returning  to  the  hollow  I  wakened  Jacques,  and,  tell 
ing  him  of  the  two  ruffians'  return,  advised  that  we  should 
proceed. 

"  Very  good,  monsieur,"  he  said  at  once,  "  I  am  at  your 
service." 


CHAPTER   XXI 

1    Save  Cordel's  Life 

Leading  the  horse  to  the  road  I  helped  Jacques  to 
mount,  for  in  spite  of  his  bold  words  he  was  still  very 
weak,  and  then  walked  along  by  his  side.  The  night 
was  passing,  though  it  was  not  yet  light,  but  as  the 
road  stretched  straight  ahead  of  us  for  several  miles 
we  could  not  mistake  the  way. 

I  walked  at  a  smart  pace,  but  rather  with  the  idea 
of  reaching  some  place  of  shelter  than  from  any  fear 
of  danger.  Our  pursuers  had  abandoned  the  chase, 
and  for  a  while,  at  least,  were  unhkely  to  renew  it. 
They  were  too  tired  for  a  fresh  pursuit,  and  their 
animals  were  worn  out. 

Jacques  being  still  wrapped  in  my  cloak,  I  was  able 
to  walk  briskly,  and  this  prevented  me  from  feehng 
the  cold.  Mile  after  mile  I  trudged  along,  and  as  we 
proceeded  the  haze  of  darkness  lifted,  and  dawn  began 
to  glimmer  in  the  eastern  sky. 

Save  for  ourselves  the  road  was  deserted ;  the  coun- 
try around  seemed  dead ;  not  a  hamlet,  not  even  a 
house  appeared  in  sight.  Everything  was  gloomy  and 
depressing ;    the  very  rays  of  the  sun  were  cold  and 


236        I   Save  Cordel's  Life 

cheerless,  and  the  bare  trees  added  only  another  dreary 
feature  to  the  landscape. 

Several  times  Jacques  begged  earnestly  that  we 
should  change  places,  but,  knowing  this  would  make 
the  pace  slower,  I  insisted  on  his  keeping  his  seat. 

"  We  will  stop  at  the  first  inn,"  I  said,  "  have  some 
food  and  a  rest,  and  procure  another  horse." 

About  eight  o'clock  we  entered  the  street  of  a  village 
and  drew  up  before  the  door  of  the  inn.  Jacques 
dismounted,  the  ostler  led  the  animal  away,  and  we 
entered  the  house,  the  landlord,  who  could  not  con- 
ceal his  curiosity,  showing  us  a  room. 

"  A  good  breakfast,"  I  said  ;  "  the  best  the  house 
contains.  And  while  you  are  getting  it  ready  we  will 
put  ourselves  straight.  Have  you  any  salve  suitable 
for  cuts  and  bruises  ?  " 

"  Yes,  monsieur  ;     I  will  fetch  some." 

"  Faith,  Jacques,"  I  exclaimed,  when  the  man  had 
bustled  off,  "  you  are  a  pretty  object  at  present.  There 
is  a  lump  as  large  as  a  hen's  egg  on  your  head,  and  your 
face  is  covered  with  bruises,  which  will  show  more 
distinctly  when  we  get  the  dirt  off." 

"  Perhaps  it  had  better  be  kept  on,"  said  he,  smiling 
cheerily. 

After  we  had  brushed  our  soiled  clothing  and  washed 
ourselves  I  applied  some  salve  to  Jacques'  bruises, 
while  the  landlord  prepared  a  compress  for  the  swel- 
ling on  his  head.  Then  we  sat  down  to  breakfast, 
and  our  attack  on  the  provisions  proved  that  the  start- 
ling adventures  of  the  past  night  had  not  robbed  us 
of  our  appetites. 


I  Save  Cordel's  Life        237 

I  had,  meanwhile,  arranged  with  the  landlord  to 
furnish  us  with  a  second  horse,  and  now  suggested 
that  Jacques  should  take  a  couple  of  hours'  rest  before 
starting.  Against  this  he  protested  vigorously,  declar- 
ing he  had  slept  well  during  the  night,  and  that  it  was 
I  who  needed  rest. 

At  last  he  persuaded  me  to  lie  down,  while  he  sat 
in  the  room  facing  the  road,  with  a  loaded  pistol  in  one 
hand  and  another  by  his  side.  Nothing  happened, 
however,  during  the  time  I  slept,  and  at  the  end  of 
the  second  hour  Jacques  wakened  me. 

The  food  and  rest  had  made  new  men  of  us,  and, 
having  settled  accounts  with  the  landlord,  we  mounted 
our  horses,  and  set  off  cheerfully  in  the  direction  of 
Le  Blanc.  For  the  time  being  the  danger  had  passed. 
It  was  broad  dayhght,  and  every  yard  forward  brought 
us  nearer  to  my  friends. 

But  there  were  several  things  in  the  adventure 
to  worry  me,  and  that  evening,  after  we  had  safely 
reached  home,  I  called  Jacques  into  my  room  to  dis- 
cuss the  matter. 

"  I  don't  pretend  to  understand  it,  monsieur,"  he  said, 
"  but  I  feel  sure  these  fellows  were  in  the  lawyer's 
pay.    Who  else  would  set  a  trap  for  you  ?  " 

"  I  cannot  think.  Cordel  is  my  only  enemy,  and 
yet  before  concluding  it  was  he  who  planned  the  assault 
there  are  one  or  two  questions  to  answer.  Casimir, 
for  instance,  was  he  in  league  with  our  assailants  ? 
If  so,  he  played  his  part  marvellously  well,  and  blinded 
me  effectually." 

"So  he  did  me;  but  he  was  in  league  with  them,  foi 


238         I  Save  Cordel's  Life 

all  that.  Remember  how  he  shot  at  a  man  in  the 
wood,  when  no  man  was  there." 

"  I  certainly  neither  saw  nor  heard  one." 

"  Nor  did  Casimir.  The  shot  was  a  signal  to  his 
comrades,  and  told  them  that  his  trick  had  succeeded. 
And  then  his  fear  about  being  dragged  into  your  quarrel ! 
That  was  a  blind,  monsieur,  meant  to  throw  you  off 
your  guard." 

"  It  certainly  succeeded,"  I  was  forced  to  admit. 

"  And  the  fuss  he  made  about  foundering  his  horse  ! 
It  was  a  mere  trick  to  delay  us  on  the  road ;  there 
was  nothing  the  matter  with  the  beast." 

"  Do  you  think,"  I  asked,  "  he  behaved  so  rudely 
to  those  horsemen  through  fear  that  they  might  upset 
the  plot  ?  " 

"  No,  monsieur,"  repHed  Jacques,  with  a  shake  of 
the  head ;  "  I  cannot  see  through  it  clearly,  but  in  my 
opinion  that  was  all  a  part  of  the  scheme.  I  believe 
they  were  the  fellows  who  rode  out  on  you  while  I 
was  lying  stunned." 

"  But  why  should  they  join  us  ?  " 

"  There  is  no  telling,  monsieur.  It  might  have 
been  to  learn  from  Casimir  if  it  was  safe  to  carry  out 
their  plot.  He  was  a  crafty  rogue.  I  had  no  suspicion 
of  the  truth  until  he  began  to  make  his  horse  plunge 
and  rear.  Then  I  knew  he  meant  to  kill  me — by 
accident !  "  he  concluded  grimly. 

"  And  in  the  confusion  it  would  have  been  an  easy 
matter  to  settle  my  account !  " 

"  A  very  easy  matter,"  agreed  Jacques. 

"  The  facts  ftt  in  well  with  your  idea,"  I  said,  after 


I  Save  Cordel's  Life        239 

a  pause ;  "  but  if  you  are  right,  the  puzzle  becomes 
worse  than  ever." 

"  In  what  way,  monsieur." 

"  It  brings  us  face  to  face  with  this  question — was 
Casimir  in  the  pay  of  two  employers — one  ray  friend 
the  other  my  enemy  ?  " 

"  Pardon  me,  monsieur,"  exclaimed  Jacques  hesi- 
tatingly, "  but  are  you  sure  this  adventurer  is  your 
friend  ?  He  once  tried  to  take  your  life  ;  he  belongs  to 
the  opposite  camp,  and  he  is  a  henchman  of  Monseig- 
neur's,  who  certainly  does  not  love  the  Huguenots. 
You  have  done  this  man  a  service,  but  it  is  easy  to 
forget  benefits." 

"  I  am  afraid  that  is  so,  Jacques,  yet  I  cannot  doubt 
L'Estang.  Besides,  he  had  me  in  his  power  the  night 
he  came  here." 

"  Yes,"  said  my  servant,  with  a  queer  smile,  "  but 
he  knew  that  had  he  done  you  any  harm  he  would 
never  have  left  the  room  alive." 

"  Still,  we  will  assume  that  L'Estang  is  really  my 
friend.  In  that  case  Casimir  must  have  sold  his  know- 
ledge to  the  lawyer.  But  if  he  was  in  touch  with 
Cordel,  who  would  shoot  at  him  in  the  wood  ?  " 

"  A  friendly  hand  could  shoot  a  hole  through  a 
cloak.  Of  course,  it  is  just  possible  Casimir  did  not 
come  from  L'Estang  at  all.  It  is  as  easy  to  kill  two 
messengers  as  one,  and  the  first  was  killed." 

"  But  how  would  he  know  what  was  in  the  letter  ? 
It  had  not  been  opened." 

"  I  had  not  thought  of  that,"  said  Jacques.  "  It 
drives  me  back  on  my  first  suspicion,  which  monsieur 


240        I  Save  Cordel's  Life 

does  not  like.  But,  unless  L'Estang  helped  in  the 
plot,  I  cannot  understand  how  it  was  carried  out !  " 

We  sat  talking  half  the  night,  but  without  coming 
any  nearer  to  solving  the  problem,  and  at  last,  thor- 
oughly tired,  I  went  to  bed.  Out  of  the  whole  tangle 
one  thing  only  was  plain — Etienne  Cordel  was  play- 
ing a  desperate  game,  and  no  scruples  would  prevent 
him  from  winning  it. 

And  there  was  no  way  of  getting  at  the  rascal ! 
He  laid  his  plots  with  so  much  skill  that  I  could  accuse 
him  of  nothing.  I  had  no  real  proofs  against  him,  and 
without  proofs  he  could  laugh  in  my  face. 

The  story  of  the  attempt  on  my  life  quickly  spread 
abroad,  and  the  villagers  came  in  a  crowd  to  learn  if 
I  had  been  injured. 

"  Who  are  the  villains,  monsieur  ? "  cried  Urie. 
"  Tell  us  who  they  are,  and  we  will  make  an  end  of 
them." 

"  Ay,"  said  another  ;  "  we  will  pull  them  in  pieces  !  " 
and  his  companions  shouted  their  approval. 

"  No,"  I  exclaimed,  "  you  must  do  nothing  against 
the  law,  or  you  will  be  made  to  suffer  for  it.  Two 
of  the  rascals  are  dead,  and  the  others  are  not  likely 
to  trouble  me  again.  But  there  is  no  harm  in  keeping 
watch  on  any  strangers  hanging  about  the  neigh- 
bourhood." 

"  We  will  do  that,  monsieur !  "  they  cried,  and 
at  last  I  succeeded  in  persuading  them  to  return  to 
their  homes. 

The  excitement,  however,  did  not  die  down,  and 
the  next  evening  Jacques  informed  me  there  was  a 


I   Save  Cordcl's  Life        241 

fierce  talk  going  on  at  old  Pierre's.  Some  one  had 
started  the  report  that  my  enemy  was  Etienne  Cor- 
del,  and  a  cry  had  been  raised  to  march  to  his  house 
and  burn  it  about  his  ears. 

"  But  they  do  not  mean  it  ?  "  I  exclaimed. 

"  As  far  as  words  go,  they  do,"  replied  Jacques ; 
"  but  dogs  that  are  so  ready  to  bark  rarely  bite." 

He  treated  the  subject  so  lightly  that  I  thought  no 
more  of  it ;  but  about  ten  o'clock  a  woman  came  from 
the  village  with  the  news  that  a  number  of  the  men, 
armed  with  clubs,  pikes  and  forks,  had  started  off 
in  a  body  for  the  lawyer's  house.  In  answer  to  my 
anxious  questioning  she  said  they  had  been  gone  some 
time,  and  had  taken  a  short  cut  across  country. 

"  Saddle  the  horses,  Jacques  !  "  I  cried  ;  "  this 
must  be  stopped.  Cordel  has  influence  enough  to 
have  every  one  of  them  broken  on  the  wheel.  Look 
alive,  man  !  " 

Putting  on  my  boots  hastily,  I  followed  him  to  the 
stables,  when  we  saddled  the  horses  and  led  them 
out.  I  was  in  a  fever  of  excitement  lest  we  should 
not  arrive  at  the  house  in  time,  since  it  was  neces- 
sary for  us  to  take  the  longer  route  by  the  road. 

Jacques  endeavoured  to  calm  me,  saying,  "  They 
will  do  no  harm  ;  they  will  only  shout  and  threaten, 
and  frighten  the  old  fox  half  out  of  his  wits.  It  won't 
hurt  him,  and  it  may  teach  him  a  lesson." 

This  was  likely  enough,  but,  fearing  lest  these 
foolish  people  should  get  themselves  into  trouble 
I  galloped  along,  almost  as  fast  as  when  my  two 
assailants   were   in   pursuit   of  me.     Fortunately,   we 

F.A.  16 


2^2        I  Save  Cordd's  Life 

met  no  travellers,  but,  on  turning  into  the  cross-road 
leading  to  the  lawyer's  house,  I  heard  a  confused  roar 
of  voices.    The  villagers  had  arrived  before  us. 

I  spurred  my  willing  beast,  swept  swiftly  along  the 
narrow  road,  shot  through  the  open  gateway,  ^and 
drew  up  in  front  of  the  building,  where  a  mob  of  men 
were  shouting  and  yelling  for  Etienne  Cordel. 

"  Bring  your  pikes  !  "  roared  one,  "  and  break 
the  door  down  !  " 

"  Smoke  the  old  fox  out ! "  yelled  another ;  and  at 
that  a  dozen  cried,  "  Yes,  yes,  that's  the  plan  !  Smoke 
the  fox  out,  or  let  him  die  in  his  den." 

Some  had  brought  torches,  and  in  their  lurid  glare 
the  peasants  looked  quite  truculent  and  formidable. 
Pushing  between  them  and  the  building,  I  called  for 
silence,  but  the  sound  of  my  voice  caused  the  hubbub 
to  grow  louder. 

"  Monsieur  Edmond  !  "  they  yelled,  giving  me  the 
name  by  which  I  was  best  known  to  them ;  "  Bravo, 
bravo,  we  will  see  justice  done,  monsieur  !  " 

"  Be  quiet !  "  I  cried  angrily,  "  and  listen  to  me. 
Do  you  know  what  you  are  doing  ?  " 

"  Yes,  yes.  Burn  the  house  down !  He  set  the 
murderers  on  !  ", 

"Who  told  you  that?" 

"  Let  him  deny  it !  Where  is  he  ?  Fetch  him 
out !  " 

They  were  excited,  even  dangerous  ;  I  almost  doubted 
if  my  influence  was  sufficient  to  keep  them  from  doing 
mischief ;  yet  in  ordinary  times  they  were  as  docile 
and  obedient  as  a  flock  of  sheep.    They  vowed  they 


I  Save  Cordel's  Life        243 

would  not  depart  unless  Cordel  came  out  to  them, 
and  at  length  the  lawyer  appeared  on  the  balcony 
which  ran  along  the  front  of  the  house  above  the  ground 
floor. 

He  had  huddled  on  a  dressing-gown,  and  looked 
so  wretched  and  forlorn  that  I  almost  felt  it  in  my 
heart  to  pity  him.  But  the  mob  showed  no  mercy, 
greeting  him  with  cries  of  "  Assassin ! "  "  Murderer  !  " 
and  declaring  loudly  that  he  was  unfit  to  live. 

As  soon  as  their  shouts  ceased,  I  exclaimed,  "  Mon- 
sieur Cordel,  an  attempt  has  been  made  on  my  life, 
and  it  is  rumoured  that  you  hired  the  men  to  kill  me. 
Perhaps  you  will  satisfy  these  good  people  that  they 
are  mistaken  !  " 

He  leaned  over  the  railing  and  looked  down,  his 
face  yellow,  his  eyes  staring,  evidently  in  abject  fear 
for  his  life. 

"  My  friends,"  he  cried  desperately,  and  it  made 
one  laugh  to  hear  him  address  these  peasants,  whom 
he  utterly  despised,  as  his  friends,  "  I  know  nothing  ; 
I  am  innocent ;  I  have  conspired  against  no  man's 
Ufe.     I  swear  it !  " 

The  fellow  hed,  and  knew  that  I  was  aware  of  it, 
but  for  the  sake  of  the  people  themselves,  I  was  bound 
to  protect  him.  An  attack  on  the  house  would  be 
followed  by  a  visit  from  the  king's  troops,  and  I 
shuddered  to  think  of  the  miseries  the  unfortunate 
villagers  would  suffer. 

"  You  hear  his  denial,"  I  cried  loudly,  "  you  have 
been  deceived.  We  cannot  punish  an  innocent  man. 
Now  disperse  quietly  to  your  homes.    Have  no  fear 


244        I   3ave  Cordel's  Life 

for  me  ;  I  can  hold  my  own  against  any  assassins  who 
may  come  to  Le  Blanc." 

They  departed  sullenly,  still  murmuring  threats 
of  vengeance,  and  turning  round  to  shake  their  motley 
weapons  menacingly  at  Cordel's  house. 

"  Now,  Monsieur  Cordel,"  I  cried,  when  the  last 
of  them  had  disappeared,  "  you  can  go  to  sleep  with- 
out fear.  I  rejoice  that  I  got  here  in  time  to  prevent 
mischief ;  but,  monsieur,"  I  added  drily,  "  had  the 
rufi&ans  killed  me,  I  could  not  have  come  to  your  rescue! " 
and  with  that  parting  shot  I  rode  off. 

"  'Tis  a  pity  you  had  to  stop  them,"  said  Jacques 
presently ;  they  would  have  made  short  work  of  the 
rased." 

"  And  have  been  fearfully  punished  afterwards  !  " 

"As  to  that,  monsieur,  he  will  do  them  all  the  mis- 
chief he  can  now  if  he  gets  a  chance." 

The  next  morning  I  sent  for  Urie  and  the  leading 
men,  lectured  them  on  the  folly  of  their  proceedings, 
pointed  out  the  risks  they  were  running,  and  made 
them  promise  to  keep  their  companions  from  commit- 
ting any  violence  in  the  future. 

"  You  are  more  or  less  in  Monsieur  Cordel's  power," 
I  said ;  "  he  has  strong  friends  at  Court,  while  I  have 
none,  and  am  unable  to  protect  you." 

"  We  will  be  careful,"  rephed  Urie  for  the  others, 
"  but  if  anything  happens  to  monsieur  the  rascally 
lawyer  will  have  need  of  all  his  powerful  friends." 

The  failure  of  his  plot — if  it  was  his  plot — served 
to  keep  the  lawyer  quiet  for  a  while.  He  remained 
at  home  with  only  his  own  domestics  in  the   house. 


I  Save  Cordel's  Life       245 

and  although  many  men  kept  a  strict  watch  no  sus- 
picious-looking stranger  was  seen  to  visit  him. 

Meanwhile  the  prospects  of  those  of  the  Religion 
began  to  brighten  :  the  king  was  apparently  throw- 
ing off  the  influence  of  his  mother  and  brother ;  it 
was  reported  that  he  relied  more  and  more  on  the 
advice  of  Coligny,  and  in  spite  of  the  Pope  and  the 
Guises,  he  was  still  stubbornly  bent  on  marrying  his 
sister  to  Henry  of  Beam. 

The  Queen  of  Navarre  was  at  Blois,  and  Jeanne 
wrote  me  a  long  account  of  the  balls  and  festivities 
Charles  had  arranged.  I  do  not  suppose  they  appealed 
strongly  to  Queen  Joan,  who  had  little  taste  for  such 
worldly  matters,  but  the  music,  the  dance,  and  the 
joyous  merriment  were  quite  to  the  liking  of  the  younger 
ladies  in  her  train. 

"  The  king  has  persuaded  my  dear  mistress  to  con- 
sent to  the  marriage,"  Jeanne  wrote,  "  and  it  is 
settled  that  we  are  to  go  from  here  to  Paris.  Felix 
has  just  left  for  Touraine.  He  is  a  dear,  good  fellow, 
and  hcis  been  very  kind.  He  says  it  is  stupid  for  you  to 
stay  at  Le  Blanc.  The  king  is  so  full  of  the  marriage 
and  of  affairs  of  State  that  he  will  not  attend  to  any 
less  important  business.  Felix  declares  that  if  Prince 
Henry  comes  to  Pciils  you  must  come  too,  and  push 
your  claims.  It  is  certain  that  the  prince's  marriage 
will  stop  all  further  persecution  of  the  Huguenots, 
and  it  is  that  which  caused  my  mistress  to  give  her 
consent.  Felix  told  me  yesterday  that  the  Guises  are 
very  angry  with  the  king,  and  have  gone  away.  From 
all  I  hear,  I  really  believe  he  would  be  pleased  if  they 
never  came  back." 


2^6         I  Save  Cordd's  Life 

I  read  portions  of  my  sister's  letter  to  Jacques,  but 
when  I  remarked  that  our  troubles  were  nearly  at 
an  end,  he  shook  his  head,  saying,  "  Those  who  live 
will  see,  monsieur." 


CHAPTER   XXII 
UEstang  Tells  His  Story 

Spring  had  ripened  into  summer,  and  I  was  still  at 
Le  Blanc,  not  having  heard  from  my  patron,  and 
being  unwilling  to  depart  without  his  orders.  Cordel 
had  gone  to  Paris,  and,  for  the  time  at  least,  had 
abandoned  his  schemes. 

One  day,  about  the  third  week  in  June,  I  had  just 
returned  from  a  morning  gallop  when  Jacques  met 
me  in  the  courtyard  with  the  news  that  Ambroise 
Devine  had  brought  me  a  packet  from  Monsieur 
Belli^vre. 

I  had  almost  forgotten  the  man,  never  having  seen 
him  since  the  morning  when  I  started  on  the  memor- 
able journey  to  Tanlay. 

"  It  is  along  while  since  we  met,"  I  said,  greeting 
him.  "  My  father  told  me  you  recovered  from  your 
wounds,  and  I  expected  to  find  you  in  Rochelle." 

"  Rochelle  forms  my  headquarters,  so  to  speak, 
monsieur,  but  I  am  in  the  hands  of  the  chiefs.  My 
last  journey  was  to  Flanders,  whence  I  am  now  return- 
ing.    Hearing  that   I  was  on  my  way  to    Rochelle, 

247 


248     L'Estang  Tells  His  Story 

Monsieur    Bellievre    entrusted    me   with    this    packet 
for  you." 

"  You  must  stay  and  have  a  gossip  with  me,"  said 
I,  having  thanked  him ;  "I  hear  little  news  from  the 
outside  world." 

"  You  honour  me,  monsieur ;  but  it  is  necessary 
for  me  to  push  on  with  all  speed ;  I  am  carrying  im- 
portant despatches." 

"  But  you  need  refreshment !  " 

"  Jacques  has  seen  to  that,  monsieur,  and  also  to 
my  horse." 

"  We  may  meet  aga.in,"  I  said,  as  he  took  his 
leave. 

"  It  is  very  likely.  There  wiU  be  a  gathering 
of  our  gentlemen  in  Paris  before  long ;  but  doubtless 
Monsieur  Believre  has  told  you  all  the  news." 

When  he  had  gone  I  sat  down  eagerly  to  read  my 
comrade's  letter.  There  was  a  smaller  packet  enclosed, 
but  that  I  set  aside.  Felix  wrote  at  some  length,  and 
his  first  item  of  news  was  very  startling. 

"  It  wiU  cause  you  both  grief  and  astonishment," 
he  wrote,  "  to  learn  of  the  death  of  our  good  Queen 
Joan.  She  died  on  June  9,  and  some  talk  has  passed 
of  her  having  been  poisoned.  There  is,  however,  a 
great  deal  of  sickness  here,  and  from  what  Jeanne 
tells  me,  I  think  the  poor  queen  took  fever." 

"  This  may  cause  events  to  move  more  rapidly," 
I  thought.     "  Now  that  Henry  has  become  King  of 
Navarre,  he  is  a  person  of  even  greater  importance. 
Charles  will  need  to  reckon  with  him." 

"  Our  patron,"  Felix  continued,  "  remains  in  close 


L'Estang  Tells  His  Story     249 

attendance  on  the  king,  who  treats  him  with  the 
utmost  kindness,  and  even  respect.  The  Guises  are 
in  despair,  Monseigneur  is  furious,  and  even  the  Queen- 
Mother  has  to  swallow  her  pride.  This  is  strange,  is  it 
not  ?  " 

"  Strange  !  "  I  exclaimed  aloud,  "  it  is  a  miracle  ! 
What  else  does  this  wonderful  budget  contain  ?  " 

"  Our  patron  has  a  grand  scheme  in  his  head.  He 
is  working  hard  to  unite  the  Huguenots  and  the  Moder- 
ate  Catholics  into  a  national  party,  and  to  declare 
war  against  Spain.  The  king  has  nearly  consented, 
and  unless  the  Queen-Mother  regains  her  power  war 
may  break  out  at  any  moment." 

"  Better  to  fight  the  Spaniards  than  to  cut  each 
other's  throats,"  I  muttered. 

"  I  have  kept  my  best  news  until  the  last,"  the  letter 
con'inued.  "  Our  patron  believes  the  coming  war  will 
afford  you  the  chance  needed.  He  will  nominate 
you  to  a  commission,  and  present  you  to  the  king 
at  the  same  time.  For  this  purpose  you  must  be  here, 
and  I  am  to  instruct  you  to  repair  at  once  to  the  Hotel 
Coligny,  at  Paris.     Is  not  this  glorious  news  ?  " 

I  had  scarcely  patience  to  finish  the  letter,  feeling 
more  inclined  to  jump  up  and  dance  around  the  room ; 
and  yet  the  ending  was  full  of  strange  interest. 

"  A  week  ago,  a  man,  closely  muffled,  who  refused 
to  give  his  name,  sought  me  out  late  at  night.  He 
wished,  he  said,  to  communicate  with  you,  but  for  a 
special  reason  preferred  to  send  in  an  indirect  way. 
He  finished  by  asking  me  to  enclose  a  note  the  first 
time  I  was  sending  any  correspondence  to  Le  Blanc. 


250    L'Estang  Tells  His  Story- 
it   sounded   very  mysterious,    but   thinking   a  letter 
could  not  work  much  mischief  I  consented." 

"  That  is  odd/'  I  thought,  looking  at  the  smaller 
packet,  which  bore  no  address,  and  opening  it  I  read  in 
Renaud  L'Estang's  handwriting — 

"  Monsieur,  I  fear  something  has  gone  wrong.  Did 
you  receive  my  letter  ?  My  messenger  has  not  re- 
turned, and  I  can  hear  no  word  of  him.  I  am  too 
busily  engaged  to  leave  Monseigneur,  and  I  do  not 
care  to  send  to  you  openly.  Cordel  either  suspects 
or  knows  that  I  am  your  friend. 

D'Angely." 

Calling  Jacques,  I  handed  the" note  to  him,  and 
asked  his  opinion. 

"  It  does  not  help  us  a  bit,"  he  declared  ;  "  it  explains 
nothing.  If  L'Estang  is  a  false  friend,  as  I  believe, 
he  is  merely  trying  by  this  note  to  throw  dust  into 
your  eyes.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  he  was  not  a  party 
to  the  plot,  the  mystery  remains  the  same." 

"  I  fear  you  are  right,  Jacques.  However,  let  us 
not  trouble  our  heads  with  the  riddle  ;  it  will  solve 
itself  one  of  these  days.  I  have  other  news ;  can 
you  guess  what  it  is  ?  " 

"  By  your  face,  monsieur,  it  should  be  something 
pleasant :  the  king  has  signed  those  tiresome  papers  !  " 

"  Not  exactly  right,"  I  answered  laughing,  "  but  I 
have  hope  of  that  happening  in  time.  We  are  going 
to  Paris,  Jacques.  There  is  likely  to  be  war  with 
Spain^,  and  I  am  to  receive  the  king's  commission. 


L'Estang  Tells  His  Story    251 

It  will  be  better  than  fighting  against  those  of  our  own 
race  and  blood ;  and  if  we  come  through  the  campaign 
alive,  Monsieur  Cordel  may  even  cast  his  eyes  on  some 
other  person's  estates." 

"  When  do  we  start  ?  "  asked  Jacques  eagerly. 

"  I  have  a  few  arrangements  to  make.  Let  us  say 
the  day  after  to-morrow." 

"  Very  good,  monsieur,  but  it  is  a  long  time  to  wait." 

The  lawyer  was  still  absent  from  his  house,  but  in 
case  any  of  his  spies  should  carry  information,  Jacques 
let  it  be  known  the  next  morning  that  in  a  few  days 
we  were  going  to  La  Rochelle  ;  nor  did  I  give  my  own 
servants  any  different  information. 

It  was  a  glorious  summer  morning  when  we  set 
forth :  the  sun  shone  brightly  in  a  blue  sky  thinly 
flaked  with  snowy  clouds  ;  the  birds  carolled  joyously  ; 
the  green  leaves,  made  brilliant  by  the  sunlight,  danced 
in  the  gentle  breeze  ;  a  fresh,  sweet  smell  rose  from 
the  fragrant  earth. 

Many  a  long  day  had  passed  since  my  heart  had 
felt  so  light,  and  as  we  cantered  into  the  highroad  I 
hummed  a  gay  refrain.  I  felt  as  if  this  was  bound 
to  prove  the  most  successful  of  our  ventures. 

I  had  real  hope  as  a  foundation  on  which  to  rear 
my  airy  castle.  The  war  of  Religion  was  over  and 
done  with ;  Huguenot  and  Catholic  would  stand 
shoulder  to  shoulder  against  the  common  foe  ;  Mon- 
seigneur,  the  Guises,  and  all  those  who  were  striving 
for  their  own  interests  to  embroil  the  country  in  civil 
strife  would  have  to  stand  aside ;  France  would  at 
length  be  united,  and  therefore  strong. 


2^2    L'Estang  Tells  His  Story 

My  own  private  fortunes  also  wore  a  rosy 
tint  that  morning.  Even  if  the  king  did  not  restore 
my  estates  at  the  outset,  he  would  certainly  not  refuse 
to  do  so  after  I  had  fought  his  battles,  and  perhaps 
helped  to  gain  his  victories  !  No,  I  had  not  a  single 
fear  when  I  turned  to  take  a  last  lingering  view  of 
the  castle  of  Le  Blanc. 

As  a  matter  of  precaution  we  rode  a  few  miles  in 
the  direction  of  La  Rochelle,  but  neither  Jacques  nor 
I  expected  that  any  further  attempt  would  be  made 
upon  us  in  that  part  of  the  country.  Cordel  was 
most  probably  in  Paris,  and  could  have  no  know- 
ledge of  our  sudden  departure  from  Le  Blanc.  In 
fact  we  reached  Paris  without  any  mishap,  save  the 
casting  of  a  horse's  shoe,  and  the  loss  of  a  few  hours 
one  night  when  we  went  astray  in  the  darkness. 

We  entered  Paris  a  little  before  the  gate  was  closed 
for  the  night.  It  was  still  very  light,  and  the  streets 
were  filled  with  people,  very  few  of  whom,  however, 
took  much  notice  of  us.  The  capital  was  utterly 
strange  to  me,  and  I  knew  nothing  of  Coligny's  resi- 
dence, except  that  it  was  situated  in  the  Rue  de  I'Arbre 
Sec.  Overtaking  an  officer  of  the  king's  guards  I  asked 
to  be  directed  to  that  street,  and  he  very  courteously 
undertook  to  conduct  me  part  of  the  way. 

"  You  are  a  stranger  in  Paris  ?  "  said  he,  looking 
critically  at  me  and  my  servant. 

"  Yes,  I  have  but  now  arrived  from  the  south,  to 
meet  a  friend  who  lives  in  the  Rue  de  I'Arbre  Sec." 

"  I  should  fancy,"  exclaimed  the  officer,  with  a 
humorous   twinkle,    "  that   your   friend's   residence   is 


L'Estang  Tells  His  Story    253 

not  far  from  the  Hotel  Coligny !  Have  you  borne 
arms,  monsieur  ?  " 

"  I  fought  at  Amay-le-Duc,"  I  repHed,  feeling  sure 
that  my  questioner  had  already  set  me  down  in  his 
own  mind  as  a  Huguenot. 

"  I  was  there,  too,"  he  said,  "  but  I'll  wager  we 
were  not  on  the  same  side.  However,  those  days 
are  gone,  and  we  may  yet  have  a  chance  of  fighting 
under  the  same  flag !  "  to  which  I  replied  that 
nothing  would  give  the  members  of  our  party  more 
pleasure. 

Having  conducted  me  to  the  corner  of  the  street 
and  pointed  out  Coligny's  house  he  took  his  leave, 
with  a  cheery  hope  that  I  should  find  my  stay  in  town 
pleasant. 

The  Admiral  was  absent,  but  the  house  was  occupied 
by  several  of  his  gentlemen,  who  gave  me  a  hearty 
welcome.  Felix  was  somewhere  in  the  town  on  busi- 
ness, one  said,  not  unconnected  with  my  family,  at 
which  the  others  laughed. 

He  came  in  about  an  hour  later,  when  I  learned 
he  had  been  spending  the  evening  with  the  Countess 
Guichy,  at  whose  house  my  sister  was  staying. 

"  The  countess,  my  dear  Edmond,"  said  he,  "  is  a 
relative  of  mine.  She  does  not  belong  to  the  Religion, 
but  she  is  a  worthy  soul,  and  when  Queen  Joan  died 
and  everything  was  in  confusion,  I  persuaded  your 
sister  to  go  to  her  until  she  could  consult  you  as  to  her 
future." 

"  That  was  like  your  kind  heart,  Fehx ;  you  have 
ever  been  a  good  friend  to  both  of  us.    I  had  not  thought 


2  54    L'Estang  Tells  His  Story- 
how  awkwardly  Jeanne  would  be  placed  by  the  queen's 
death." 

"  There  is  no  need  to  thank  me,"  he  replied,  "  I  have 
done  the  countess  a  favour.  Your  sister  has  won  her 
heart  already,  though  to  be  sure  there  is  no  miracle 
in  that.  They  called  her  the  Queen  of  Hearts  at  Blois. 
I  must  take  you  to  see  her  in  the  morning.  Did  Jacques 
come  with  you  ?  " 

"  Yes,  he  is  making  himself  at  home  with  some  of 
his  old  acquaintances ;  but  where  is  the  Ad- 
miral ?  " 

"  At  Fontainebleau  with  the  king.  Everything 
is  settled ;  Henry  comes  to  Paris  in  a  week  or  two, 
and  there  is  to  be  a  grand  wedding.  Our  opponents 
are  furious,  but  helpless.  There  is  only  one  thing  I 
dread." 

"  What  is  that  ?  "  I  asked,  rather  taken  aback  by 
the  sudden  serious  look  on  his  face. 

"  There  are  ugly  rumours  about,  Edmond.  It  is 
whispered  that  Guise  has  sworn  to  take  our  patron's 
life.  Coligny  has  received  a  dozen  warnings,  but  he 
is  too  fearless  to  notice  them.  He  shrugs  his  shoulders 
and  says  '  It  would  be  better  to  die  a  hundred  times 
than  to  live  in  constant  fear.  I  am  tired  of  such  alarms, 
and  have  lived  long  enough.'  But  he  hasn't  lived 
long  enough,  Edmond !  Without  him,  the  Cause 
would  be  ruined." 

"  No  one  will  dare  to  do  him  an  injury  while  the 
king  stands  by  him,"  I  said  cheerfully.  "  If  Charles 
is  really  his  friend  there  is  nothing  to  fear." 

"  I  ani  not  so  sure  of  that.     Unless  the  Admiral 


L'Estang  Tells  His  Story    255 

is  at  his  elbow  Charles  is  simply  a  tool  in  the  hands  of 
Monseigneur  and  the  Queen-Mother." 

"  Even  so  it  should  be  difficult  for  the  assassin's 
knife  to  reach  our  patron  while  he  has  his  body-guard 
around  him !  "  at  which  Felix  laughed,  saying  the 
Admiral  frequently  ventured  abroad  either  alone, 
or  with  but  one  or  two  attendants. 

The  next  morning  we  set  off  for  the  Countess  Guichy's, 
where  Jeanne  received  me  with  open  arms.  Since 
our  last  meeting  she  had  become  even  prettier,  and 
I  scarcely  wondered  that  the  gay  young  courtiers 
had  called  her  the  "  Queen  of  Hearts."  She  was  very 
happy  and  cheerful,  and  full  of  praise  for  Felix,  who 
had  watched  over  her  as  tenderly  as  if  she  were  his 
own  sister. 

The  countess  was  a  stately  lady,  with  a  kind  face 
and  twinkling  eyes.  It  was  easy  to  see  she  had  become 
very  attached  to  Jeanne,  and  she  would  listen  to  no 
arrangements  that  would  remove  my  sister  from  her 
house. 

"  From  all  I  can  gather,"  she  said,  "  you  will  be 
off  to  the  wars  soon,  and  pray  what  will  Jeanne  do  then  ? 
Bury  herself  in  that  musty  Rochelle  ?  No,  my  dear,  you 
shall  remain  with  me  until — ah,  well,  it  isn't  your 
brother  who  will  part  us !  "  at  which  poor  Jeanne 
flushed  painfully. 

The  countess  insisted  on  our  remaining  to  dinner, 
after  which  we  escorted  Jeanne  into  the  city,  Felix 
pointing  out  the  sights  and  describing  the  buildings 
with  the  air  of  one  who  had  lived  in  Paris  all  his 
life. 


2^6    L'Estang  Tells  His  Story 

Our  patron  still  being  with  the  king  we  enjoyed  a 
great  deal  of  leisure,  and  for  nearly  a  week  spent  most 
of  our  time  with  the  countess  and  Jeanne,  much  to 
the  satisfaction  of  Felix,  who  so  contrived  that  I  always 
had  the  honour  of  escorting  his  noble  relative. 

We  were  returning  late  one  evening,  walking  quietly 
along  the  Rue  de  Bethisy,  at  the  corner  of  which  stood 
the  Admiral's  house,  when  a  man,  who  had  evidently 
been  watching  the  approaches  to  the  building,  tapped 
me  on  the  shoulder  and  whispered  "  Monsieur  Le 
Blanc  !  " 

He  wore  a  large  plumed  hat  which  was  drawn  partly 
over  his  forehead,  and  he  was,  besides,  closely  muffled, 
but  I  had  no  difficulty  in  recognizing  him  as  Renaud 
L'Estang.  Telling  Felix  I  would  follow  in  a  few  minutes, 
I  turned  aside  with  the  adventurer  into  the  courtyard 
of  a  large  house  where  we  were  not  likely  to  be  inter- 
rupted. 

"  I  learned  yesterday  you  were  in  Paris,"  he  remarked, 
"  and  have  been  watching  for  you.  Did  your  friend 
send  you  my  note  ?  " 

"  Yes,  but  it  was  difficult  to  answer.  Your  first 
messenger  was  killed ;  your  second  was  a  traitor. 
That  is  why  I  did  not  meet  you  at  Poictiers." 

"  My  second  messenger  !  "  he  exclaimed  in  a  tone  of 
surprise.  "  Poictiers !  Either  you  or  I  must  be 
dreaming !  I  sent  but  one  man,  and  he  vanished. 
Why  should  you  expect  to  meet  me  at  Poictiers  ?  " 

"  At  your  own  invitation  !  "  I  replied. 

"  But,  monsieur,  this  is  a  puzzle  !  I  do  not  under- 
stand;   it  is  beyond  me." 


L'Estang  Tells  His  Story     257 

"  Perhaps,"  I  remarked  drily,  "  you  have  forgotten 
Casimir !  " 

At  that  he  drew  a  long  breath.  "  Casimir !  "  he 
exclaimed ;  "ah,  that  lets  in  a  little  light.  Monsieur, 
will  you  tell  me  the  story  ?  We  shall  get  at  some- 
thing surprising." 

He  listened  attentively  while  I  related  what  had 
happened,  and  then  "  Truly,"  he  said,  "  this  Cordel 
is  a  clever  rogue,  and  Casimir  an  able  tool.  I  have 
found  him  useful  myself  before  now." 

"  He  cheated  you  to  some  purpose  in  the  end,"  I 
remarked. 

"  But  he  did  not  cheat  me  at  all ;  I  had  nothing 
to  do  with  him.  Listen,  and  judge  for  yourself.  I 
discovered  that  the  lawyer  had  bargained  with  four 
men,  one  of  whom  was  this  very  Casimir,  to  take  your 
life.  The  murder  was  to  be  done  in  such  a  manner  that 
no  suspicion  should  attach  to  him,  and  the  first  thing 
was  to  get  you  away  from  Le  Blanc." 

"  In  that  at  least,"  said  I  laughing,  "  they  suc- 
ceeded." 

"  I  wrote  a  letter  warning  you  of  this,  and  describ- 
ing the  four  men,  and  despatched  it  by  the  hand  of 
a  trusty  messenger." 

"  He  was  worthy  of  your  trust,"  I  said. 

"  The  second  letter  asking  you  to  meet  me  at  Poictiers 
was  not  written  by  me." 

"  Then  who  was  the  writer  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  It  would  be  difficult  to  prove,  but  I  should  say  it 
was  Etienne  Cordel.  Several  httle  matters  convinced 
me  he  had  heard  of  my  flying  visit  to  Le  Blanc.    That 

F.A.  17 


258     L'Estang  Tells  His  Story 

put  him  on  his  guard,  and  unfortunately  my  messenger 
was  known  to  Casimir  and  his  companions." 

"  Do  you  think  they  tracked  him  ?  " 

"  Waylaid  him  in  the  wood,  abstracted  the  letter, 
and  carried  it  to  the  lawyer.  It  was  easy  for  him  to 
imitate  my  writing,  and  the  signature  of  D'Angely 
would  disarm  suspicion." 

"  Your  explanation  certainly  seems  reasonable," 
I  remarked. 

"  And  I  believe  it  to  be  true.  And  now,  take  my 
advice  and  be  very  cautious.  Men  are  cheap  in  Paris, 
and  Cordel  will  stick  at  nothing.  If  I  can  help  you 
against  him,  you  may  be  sure  I  will." 

I  thanked  him  warmly,  and  proceeded  to  the  hotel. 

"  Jacques  will  be  glad  to  know  that  gratitude  is 
not  altogether  dead  in  the  world,"  I  said  to  myself. 


CHAPTER    XXIII 
A  Royal  Marriage 

I  SHOULD  probably  have  worried  myself  considerably 
over  the  strange  story  related  by  Renaud  L'Estang, 
but  for  the  public  events  which  occurred  almost  imme- 
diately. On  the  very  next  morning  we  received  orders 
from  the  Admiral  to  be  prepared  to  escort  Henry  of 
Navarre  into  the  capital. 

My  purse,  fortunately,  was  not  yet  empty,  for  it 
was  necessary  to  don  a  mourning  suit  in  order  to  show 
respect  to  th3  memory  of  the  late  queen. 

"  We  must  show  ourselves  as  fine  as  those  popinjays 
of  Anjou's,"  said  Felix.  "  Fine  feathers  make  fine 
birds  in  the  eyes  of  the  populace,  and  we  must  let  them 
see  that  Huguenot  gentlemen  are  a  match  for  those  of 
the  king." 

It  was  early  morning  of  July  8,  1572,  when  about  a 
dozen  of  us,  all  splendidly,  though  sombrely  attired, 
rode  out  from  the  courtyard  of  the  Hotel  Coligny, 
and,  passing  quickly  through  the  empty  streets,  pro- 
ceeded to  meet  the  princely  cavalcade. 

Henry's  retinue  formed  a  striking  and  impressive 
spectacle.  He  was  attended  by  young  Conde,  the 
Cardinal   of    Bourbon,   and   our   own   beloved   chief. 

U9 


2  6o        A   Royal    Marriage 

Behind  them  rode  eight  hundred  gallant  gentlemen, 
all  in  mourning,  the  majority  of  whom  had  proved 
their  zeal  and  devotion  to  the  Cause  on  more  than 
one  battle-field.  We  saluted  the  chiefs,  and  took 
our  places  in  the  procession. 

"  I  think  even  the  Parisians  will  admit  we  do  not 
make  a  very  sorry  show,"  remarked  Felix  as  we  rode 
along. 

At  the  gates  of  St.  Jacques  we  were  met  by  Mon- 
seigneur  at  the  head  of  fifteen  hundred  gorgeously 
attired  horsemen.  He  greeted  our  leaders  with  ela- 
borate ceremony,  but,  as  far  as  I  could  judge,  with 
little  goodwill,  and  Catholics  and  Huguenots  mingled 
together,  forming  one  imposing  body.  Young  Cond6 
and  his  brother,  the  Marquis,  rode  between  Guise  and 
the  Chevalier  d'Angouleme  ;  Henry  himself  was  placed 
between  the  king's  brothers,  Anjou  and  Alen9on. 

The  streets  were  packed  with  dense  crowds  of  citizens  ; 
every  balcony  was  filled,  and  fair  ladies  sat  watching 
from  the  open  windows.  Here  and  there  men  shouted 
lustily  for  Monseigneur,  but  for  Henry  of  Navarre 
there  was  no  word  of  kindly  welcome ;  we  proceeded 
amidst  a  cold  and  chilling  silence. 

"This  may  be  a  royal  welcome,"  laughed  one  of 
my  neighbours,  "  'tis  anything  but  a  friendly  one. 
Faith,  I  am  beginning  to  think  already  that  we  shall 
have  as  much  need  of  our  swords  in  Paris  as  ever  we 
had  at  Amay-le-Duc." 

"  Bah  !  "  cried  Felix ;  "  who  wants  the  plaudits  of 
a  mob  ?  These  people  are  but  puppets,  and  the  strings 
are  pulled  by  the  priests.'* 


A   Royal   Marriage  261 

"  The  citizens  are  hardly  reconciled  yet  to  the  new 
order  of  things,"  remarked  one  of  Monseigneur's  gentle- 
men ;  "  but  the  strangeness  will  soon  wear  off,  and  you 
will  be  as  welcome  in  Paris  as  in  Rochelle.  It  is  not 
strange  that  at  present  Anjou  is  their  favourite ;  you 
must  give  them  time." 

The  speaker  may  have  been  right,  but  the  hostile 
attitude  with  which  the  citizens  met  us  became  stronger, 
when,  having  escorted  the  princes  to  the  palace,  we 
broke  up  into  small  groups  and  rode  towards  our  various 
dwellings. 

The  sullen  silence  gave  place  to  angry  murmurs,  and 
even  to  open  threats,  especially  when  we  passed  the 
crosses  and  images  at  the  corners  of  the  streets  without 
raising  our  hats. 

"  Well,"  I  said,  as,  entering  the  courtyard  of  the 
hotel,  we  gave  our  animals  to  Jacques,  "  the  king 
may  desire  the  marriage,  but  it  certainly  does  not 
meet  with  the  approval  of  the  citizens.  In  truth, 
now  that  to-day's  ceremony  is  over,  I  am  rather  sur- 
prised to  find  myself  alive." 

"  You  are  not  the  only  one,  Le  Blanc,"  said 
De  Guerchy,  who  was  entering  with  us ;  "I 
expected  every  moment  to  hear  a  cry  of  '  Kill  the 
Huguenots  !  '  They  say  a  bad  beginning  often  leads 
to  a  good  ending ;  let  us  hope  this  will  be  a  case  in 
proof  of  it.  But  I  wish  the  Admiral  was  in  the  midst 
of  us  !  " 

"  There  lies  the  danger,"  I  said ;  "a  pistol-shot  or 
the  stroke  of  a  sword,  and  the  streets  of  Paris  will 
run  with  blood." 


262        A   Royal    Marriage 

"  They  will,"  declared  Felix  fiercely,  "  if  any  harm 
happens  to  our  leader  !  " 

When  I  came  to  think  about  these  things  in  after 
days,  it  seemed  strange  to  remember  how,  through 
all  the  time  of  rejoicing  and  apparent  friendliness, 
there  ran  an  uneasy  feeling,  for  which  even  Henry's 
chilling  reception  by  the  Parisians  was  not  sufficient 
to  account. 

Our  first  thought  in  the  morning  and  our  last  thought 
at  night  centred  upon  the  Admiral's  safety.  Absolutely 
fearless,  and  placing  unbounded  confidence  in  the 
king's  honesty,  that  chivalrous  nobleman  behaved 
as  if  he  were  surrounded  by  loyal  friends.  He  had 
consecrated  his  life  to  the  welfare  of  France,  and 
no  thought  of  self  could  turn  him  aside  from  his 
duty. 

His  usual  attendants  were  De  Guerchy  and  Des 
Pruneaux,  and  with  them  he  would  set  out  from  his 
residence  to  transact  his  business  with  the  king  at 
the  Louvre.  But,  unknown  to  him,  two  of  us  always 
went  a  little  ahead,  while  two  followed  closely  in  the 
rear.  We  carefully  avoided  drawing  attention  to 
ourselves,  but  our  eyes  sought  every  passer-by  and 
examined  every  window  where  an  assassin  might  lurk. 

Thus  the  time  passed  between  hopes  and  fears. 
There  was  little  talk  now  of  the  war  with  Spain,  and  it 
began  to  be  understood  that  the  subject  would  not 
be  pursued  until  after  the  marriage. 

Being  so  fully  occupied  we  saw  little  of  Jeanne  during 
these  days,  but  one  evening*  Felix  and  I  started  to 
pay  her  a  visit.    It  was  the  first  week  in  August, 


A    Royal   Marriage         263 

the  day  had  been  hot,  and  most  of  the  citizens  were 
out  of  doors  seeking  the  cool  air. 

"  One  minute,  monsieur  !  " 

We  were  at  the  bottom  of  the  steps  in  front  of  the 
Gjuntess  Guichy's  hotel,  but,  recognizing  the  voice, 
I  stopped  and  turned. 

"  Is  it  you,  L'Estang  ?  "  I  said. 

"  Hush  !  It  would  be  as  well  to  call  me  D'Angely. 
You  have  been  followed  here  from  the  Rue  de  I'Arbre 
Sec.  A  strange  man,  now  hiding  on  the  other  side  of 
the  road,  has  been  watching  you  for  these  two  days 
past.  The  populace  have  no  love  for  a  Huguenot  gentle- 
man." 

"  What  is  the  fellow  hke  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  He  keeps  himself  well  muffled ;  he  is  about  your 
own  height  and  build  ;  that  is  all  I  can  discover.  But  I 
beUeve  he  has  been  hired  by  Cordel.  Take  care  not  to 
expose  yourself  too  freely." 

"  Many  thanks,"  I  said,  as  he  disappeared. 

"  'Tis  almost  a  pity,"  exclaimed  Felix,  "  that  you 
interfered  with  your  peasants.  You  should  have  let  them 
rid  you  of  that  rascally  lawyer  while  they  were  in  the 
mood." 

"  Nonsense  !  "  I  replied,  "  you  are  talking  wildly. 
Of  course  there  must  be  no  word  of  this  to  Jeanne." 

"  I  am  not  hkely  to  alarm  her !  "  he  replied,  and  ran 
lightly  up  the  steps. 

The  ladies  were  full  of  the  approaching  ceremony, 
and  could  talk  of  nothing  but  stomachers  and  brilliants 
and  gold  lace  and  such  like  stuff,  without  which  they 
seemed  to  imply  there  could  be  no  wedding  at  all.    The 


264        A    Royal   Marriage 

countess,  who  had  arranged  for  Jeanne  to  form  one  of  the 
young  bride's  attendants,  had  been  spending  money  lav- 
ishly on  a  wonderful  dress,  and  she  declared  laughingly 
that  when  Henry  saw  my  sister  he  would  wish  she  could 
change  places  with  Margaret ;  at  which  Felix  remarked 
it  would  certainly  show  his  good  taste. 

Jeanne  laughed  and  blushed,  calling  him  a  flatterer, 
but  she  was  very  happy,  and  her  eyes  were  sparkling 
with  pleasure. 

As  our  visit  drew  to  a  close,  she  contrived  to 
whisper :  "  I  have  heard  from  your  English  friend.  A 
messenger  from  La  Rochelle  brought  me  a  letter  yester- 
day. He  is  coming  to  see  you  shortly ;  he  may  be  in 
France  already." 

*  Oh,"  I  replied,  "  unless  he  comes  quickly  he  may 
have  to  travel  as  far  as  Flanders  ;  that  is,"  I  added,  slily 
"  if  he  really  wishes  to  see  me." 

"  Of  course  he  does,"  she  answered  gaily,  "  and  to 
visit  Paris  ;  he  has  set  his  heart  on  seeing  our  capital." 

Although  very  fond  of  Roger  Braund,  I  felt,  somehow, 
rather  sorry  to  hear  Jeanne's  news,  and,  as  we  left  the 
house,  my  comrade  rallied  me  on  my  thoughtful- 
ness. 

"  Come,"  said  he  briskly,  "  we  must  hurry  ;  the  Ad- 
miral does  not  like  our  being  abroad  so  late,"  at  which, 
remembering  how  persistently  he  had  refused  to  leave 
earher,  I  laughed  heartily. 

The  streets  were  for  the  most  part  deserted ;  but  in 
spite  of  the  late  hour  it  was  not  dark. 

"  Listen  !  "  exclaimed  Felix  suddenly,  "  there  is  some 
one  following  us  ;   he  is  coming  at  a  quick  pace,  as  if 


A   Royal    Marriage         265 

trying  to  overtake  us.  Perhaps  it  is  your  quixotic  ad- 
venturer friend,  with  a  further  warning." 

"  No,"  I  rephed,  "  L'Estang  is  not  so  heavy  ;  he  is 
more  cat-footed.  'Tis  some  belated  wayfarer  Uke  our- 
selves, in  a  hurry  to  reach  his  lodgings." 

The  man  caught  us  up,  gave  a  surly  growl  in  response 
to  our  "  Good-night,"  and  passed  on  rapidly. 

"  'Tis  plain  that  all  the  boors  do  not  live  in  the  coun- 
try," remarked  FeUx,  as  the  fellow  disappeared.  "  I 
thought  all  Parisians  were  noted  for  their  good  breed- 
ing." 

"  Another  mistake  corrected,  my  friend.  As  we  grow 
older — ^ah  !    After  him,  quick  !  " 

A  bullet  had  whizzed  past  my  head,  cutting,  as  I  found 
later,  the  feather  stuck  jauntily  in  my  hat — for  we  did 
not  choose  that  Anjou's  gentlemen  should  exhibit  all 
the  airs  and  graces.  The  shot  was  fired  from  a  low  entry, 
and  before  the  noise  of  the  report  had  died  away  Felix, 
who  kept  his  wits  wonderfully,  darted  inside. 

In  another  instant  I  had  joined  him,  and  we  raced 
together  up  the  narrow  court. 

"There  he  is  !  "  I  cried ;  "  ah,  he  is  climbing  the  wall !  " 

FeUx  being  the  swifter  runner  drew  ahead,  but  he  was 
too  late.  The  assassin,  straddUng  the  wall,  struck  him 
furiously  with  his  arquebus,  and  my  comrade  fell.  I 
bent  over  him  in  an  agony  of  fright,  but  he  struggled  to 
his  feet,  saying,  "  It  is  all  right,  Edmond  ;  he  has  raised 
a  lump  on  my  head,  nothing  more  ;  but  I  fear  he  has 
escaped." 

"  Yes,  we  should  only  lose  ourselves  trying  to  follow 
him  there.    Are  you  sure  you  are  not  hurt  ?  " 


2  66        A    Royal   Marriage 

"  Quite  sure.  My  head  will  ache  for  an  hour  or  two, 
but  I  shall  be  all  right  in  the  morning.  I  suppose  that 
bullet  was  meant  for  you  !  " 

"  There  can  be  little  doubt  of  it.  L'Estang  must 
have  had  good  ground  for  his  warning." 

"  You  will  have  to  put  an  end  to  this,  Edmond." 

"  As  soon  as  this  marriage  is  over,  the  Admiral  has 
promised  to  make  another  appeal  to  the  king.  With 
Henry  to  speak  a  word  for  me  as  well,  I  think  Charles 
will  restore  my  estates.  At  all  events,  there  is  the 
Spanish  war  in  sight,  and  Cordel  isn't  hkely  to  foUow 
me  to  Flanders." 

I  spoke  Mghtly,  but  this  second  attempt  on  my  life 
was  really  a  serious  matter,  showing  as  it  did  that  my 
enemy  had  not  abandoned  his  design.  The  next  few 
days,  however,  were  very  busy  ones,  and  the  course  of 
events  gave  me  little  leisure  for  brooding  over  my  own 
dangerous  position. 

The  betrothal  of  the  royal  pair  took  place  on 
August  17,  at  the  Louvre,  and  was  followed  by  a  sup- 
per and  a  ball.  Then,  according  to  custom,  the^bride 
was  escorted  by  the  king  and  queen,  the  queen- 
mother,  monseigneur,  and  the  leading  princes  and  nobles 
to  the  palace  of  the  Bishop  of  Paris,  where  she  was  to 
spend  the  night. 

The  actual  ceremony  was  fixed  for  the  next  day,  and 
we  at  the  Hotel  Coligny  were  up  betimes.  Strangely 
enough,  the  uneasy  feeling  of  which  I  have  spoken  had 
increased  rather  than  lessened,  though  no  one  could 
give  any  reason  for  this  growing  apprehension. 

Everything     was     going     well ;      there     was     no 


A   Royal   Marriage  267 

fresh  cause  for  alarm,  and  yet  there  was  not  a  man 
amongst  us — ^unless  we  except  our  noble  leader — who  did 
not  wish  the  day  well  over.  He  was  in  the  highest  of 
spirits,  looking  upon  the  marriage  as  a  public  proof  that 
henceforth  Charles  intended  to  rule  all  his  subjects  with 
equal  justice.     Perhaps  he  did ! 

The  day  was  gloriously  fine,  and  hours  before  the 
time  announced  for  the  ceremony  the  streets  were 
thronged  with  dense  crowds  of  citizens.  On  the  open 
space  in  front  of  Notre  Dame  a  gorgeous  pavilion,  in 
which  the  marriage  was  to  be  solemnized,  had  been 
erected. 

Coligny  was  accompanied  by  certain  of  his  gentlemen, 
but  most  of  us  were  stationed  outside  the  pavilion. 
The  people  glared  at  us  scowlingly,  and  even  when  the 
grand  procession  passed  on  the  way  to  escort  Margaret 
from  the  palace  they  remained  mute. 

Yet  for  those  who  enjoy  idle  shows  it  was  a  pretty 
spectacle.  Charles,  Henry,  and  Conde,  with  some  idea 
perhaps  of  showing  their  affection  for  each  other,  were  all 
dressed  alike,  in  pale  yellow  satin,  embroidered  with  sil- 
ver, and  adorned  with  pearls  and  precious  stones.  Anjou, 
who  was  even  more  magnificently  attired,  had  a  set  of 
thirty-two  pearls  in  his  toque,  while  the  noble  dames 
were  gorgeous  in  rich  brocades,  and  velvets  interwoven 
with  gold  and  silver. 

"  If  the  people  had  their  way,"  whispered  Felix,  as 
the  grand  cavalcade  swept  by,  "  Henry  would  be  going 
to  his  funeral  instead  of  to  his  marriage,  and  there 
would  be  few  of  us  left  to  mourn  him." 

From  the  Bishop's  palace  to  the  pavilion  stretched 


268        A   Royal   Marriage 

a  raised  covered  platform,  and  presently  there  was  a 
slight  craning  of  necks,  and  the  citizens  showed  some 
faint  interest,  as  the  head  of  the  bridal  procession  ap- 
peared in  sight. 

First  came  the  archbishops  and  bishops  in  their  copes 
of  cloth  of  gold ;  then  the  cardinals  in  their  scarlet 
robes,  and  the  Knights  of  St.  Michael,  their  breasts 
glittering  with  orders  ;  but  not  a  cheer  was  raised  until 
young  Henry  of  Guise  appeared,  when  it  was  easy  to 
tell  who  was  the  favourite  of  the  Parisians. 

I  regarded  him  with  much  interest.  He  was  only 
twenty-two  years  old  ;  tall  and  handsome,  with  a  lissom 
figure  and  an  air  of  easy  grace  that  became  him  well. 
His  eyes  were  keen  and  bright ;  he  wore  a  light  beard,  and 
a  profusion  of  curly  hair.  Altogether,  he  looked  a  very 
dashing  and  accomplished  nobleman. 

"  There  she  is  !  "  cried  FeUx  suddenly;  "  do  you  see 
her  ?    Could  any  one  look  more  lovely  ?  " 

"  She  is  certainly  magnificent." 

"  Bah  !  "  he  interrupted  in  disgust,  "  you  are  looking 
at  Margaret.  'Tis  Jeanne  I  am  speaking  of — your  sister. 
Edmond,  you  are  more  blind  than  a  mole  !  " 

There  really  was  some  excuse  for  his  extravagant  praise, 
for  even  amongst  that  galaxy  of  beauty  Jeanne  shone 
with  a  loveUness  all  her  own,  and  Felix  was  not  the  only 
one  of  my  comrades  to  declare  that  she  was  the  most 
beautiful  of  all  that  ghtttering  throng. 

But  the  centre  of  attraction  was  Margaret  herself, 
still  only  a  girl  of  twenty,  with  a  beautifully  clear  com- 
plexion and  bright  black  eyes  full  of  fire  and  spirit. 
She  was  truly  a  royal  bride,  gracious,  dignified,  queenly. 


Some  of  Them  as  We  Passed  Muttered  Violent  Threats. 


A    Royal    Marriage         269 

Magnificent  brilliants  sparkled  in  her  glossy  hair ;  her 
stomacher  was  set  with  lustrous  pearls  ;  her  dress  was  of 
cloth  of  gold,  and  gold  lace  fringed  her  dainty  handker- 
chief and  gloves, 

"  A  magnificent  creature  to  look  at !  "  grunted  the 
man  next  to  me,  "  but  I  would  prefer  my  wife  to  be  a 
trifle  more  womanly." 

At  length  they  had  all  passed  into  the  pavilion,  and 
when  the  ceremony  was  concluded  Henry  led  his  bride 
into  the  cathedral,  afterwards  joining  Coligny,  Cond^, 
and  a  few  other  Huguenot  gentlemen,  who  walked  up 
and  down  the  close,  conversing  earnestly  together. 

Leaving  the  Admiral  at  the  Louvre  with  a  smedl 
escort,  we  returned  to  the  Hotel  Coligny,  discussing  the 
great  event  of  the  day.  The  citizens  were  slowly  dis- 
persing, and  as  we  passed  some  of  them  muttered  violent 
threats  against  the  Huguenots ;  others  cheered  for  Henry 
of  Guise,  a  few  raised  a  cheer  for  Monseigneur,  but  I 
did  not  hear  a  word  of  welcome  for  the  king,  or  for  Henry 
of  Navarre,  or  for  our  own  noble  leader — the  most  chival- 
rous of  them  all. 

"  Charles  hasn't  increased  his  popularity  by  this 
marriage  !  "  I  remarked. 

"  No,"  said  one  of  my  comrades,  "  he  has  lost 
ground  among  the  Parisians.  It  will  frighten  him  ;  he 
will  be  more  afraid  of  Guise  them  ever.  How  the  fools 
roared  for  the  duke  !  Perhaps  they  would  like  him 
for  king  !  They  would  find  they  had  their  master,  for 
all  his  smooth  speech  and  courtly  manners." 

"  The  people's  coldness  may  do  good  in  one  way," 
remarked  Felix.     "  Charles  may  rush  into  a  war  with 


270        A   Royal  Marriage 

Spain,  thinking  that  a  brilliant  victory  or  two  would 
win  back  his  popularity." 

"  The  war  with  Spain  will  never  come  about,"  growled 
a  grizzled  veteran,  who  had  fought  with  Coligny  on  his 
earliest  battle-field.  "  Guise,  the  Pope,  Monseigneur, 
and  the'Queen-Mother  are  all  against  it,  and  Charles  is 
just  a  lump  of  clay  in  their  hands  :  they  can  mould 
him  as  they  please." 

"  Well,"  exclaimed  Felix,  as  we  entered  the  courtyard, 
"  in  my  opinion  it's  either  a  Spanish  war,  or  a  civil  war, 
and  Charles  must  take  his  choice." 


CHAPTER   XXIV 
A  Mysterious  Warning 

It  was  the  evening  of  August  20.  The  Louvre  was 
brilliantly  illuminated  ;  the  gardens  and  the  various 
apartments  were  crowded  with  the  beauty  and  nobility 
of  France.  Catholics  and  Huguenots  mingled  together 
on  the  friendliest  terms  ;  everything  pointed  to  peace 
and  goodwill.  Henry  of  Navarre  and  his  handsome 
queen  were  there,  and  so  were  Monseigneur  and  Henry 
of  Guise. 

One  could  hardly  think  of  danger  in  the  midst  of  so 
much  mirth  and  gaiety,  and  yet,  though  tmseen  by  us, 
the  shadow  of  death  was  hovering  very  near ! 

Felix  and  I  had  gone  to  the  palace  together,  but,  as 
he  basely  deserted  me  for  Jeanne,  I  was  left  to  wander 
about  alone.  I  was,  however,  by  no  means  depressed  by 
my  isolation.  The  Ughts,  the  music,  the  beauty  of  the 
ladies,  and  the  handsome  uniforms  of  the  men,  all  filled 
me  with  the  Uveliest  pleasure,  and  two  hours  rapidly 
slipped  by. 

Now  and  again  I  exchanged  greetings  with  some  cavalier 

whose  acquaintance  I  had  made  during  my  stay  in  the 

city,  and  amongst  others  I  met  the  CathoUc  officer  who 

in 


2^2     A    Mysterious    Warning 

had  befriended  me  on  the  night  of  my  arrival  in  Paris 

"  This  is  far  better  than  cutting  each  other's  throats, 
monsieur,"  said  he,  with  a  wave  of  his  hand.  "  Your 
Henry  of  Navarre  has  proved  a  real  peacemaker  !  " 

"  And  the  king  !  "  I  responded,  unwilling  to  be  out- 
done in  generosity.  "  We  must  not  forget  his  part  in 
bringing  about  this  happy  state  of  affairs ! " 

"  Nor  the  noble  Coligny's.  I  expect  the  Admiral  has 
had  more  to  do  with  it  than  both  the  others." 

Now  it  was  exceedingly  pleasant  to  hear  my  patron 
praised  in  this  way  by  one  of  his  opponents,  and  I  began 
to  think  that  after  all  our  prospects  were  less  gloomy  than 
the  conversation  of  my  comrades  would  lead  one  to 
suppose. 

Toward  midnight  I  was  crossing  the  hall  in  order 
to  speak  with  Felix  and  my  sister,  who  were  stand- 
ing with  the  Countess  Guichy  and  several  ladies,  when  I 
caught  sight  of  Renaud  L'Estang.  He  had  been  in 
attendance  upon  Monseigneur,  but  was  now  at  liberty. 
Turning  aside,  I  went  to  meet  him,  intending  to  thank 
him  for  his  timely  warning. 

"  Ah,  monsieur,"  said  he  pleasantly,  *'  I  have  been 
looking  for  you.  I  have  something  to  say,  and  one  can 
talk  without  fear  in  a  crowded  room.  But  do  not  let 
people  guess  by  your  face  that  I  am  saying  anything 
serious.  That  lady,"  and  he  glanced  toward  Jeanne, 
"is,  I  beheve,  your  sister  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  wondering  what  he  could  say  which 
concerned  Jeanne. 

"  Listen,"  he  continued.  "  I  have  tried  to  keep  the 
promise  made  to  you  that  miserable  night  in  Rochelle." 


A    Mysterious    Warning     273 

"  You  have  more  than  kept  your  promise,"  I  inter- 
rupted eagerly. 

"  I  have  done  what  I  could.  It  is  not  much,  but 
enough  perhaps  to  show  I  am  your  friend.  Now,  ask  me 
no  questions  ;  I  cannot  reply  to  them  ;  but  for  the  love 
you  bear  your  sister  answer  what  I  ask  you.  Can  you 
make  an  excuse  to  leave  Paris  ?  " 

"  And  desert  my  patron  ?  " 

"  No,"  said  he  thoughtfully,  "  it  is  too  much  to  expect 
from  a  man  of  honour  ;  but  there  is  your  servant !  He 
is  shrewd  and  capable,  and  will  fight  to  the  death  in  your 
sister's  defence." 

"  Yes,"  I  exclaimed,  "  you  judge  him  rightly." 

"  Do  not  start ;  keep  a  smile  on  your  face,  but  under- 
stand all  the  time  that  I  am  speaking  of  a  matter  of  hfe 
and  death.  Invent  what  excuse  you  like,  but  to-morrow 
morning  send  Jacques  to  Rochelle  in  charge  of  your 
sister,  and  let  him  make  no  delay  on  the  road.  Brush 
aside  all  objections  ;  do  not  be  influenced  by  any  one  ; 
follow  my  advice,  and  I  pledge  my  word  that  you  will 
not  regret  it." 

"  This  is  somewhat  startling ! "  I  exclaimed;  "you 
must  have  some  good  reasons  for  such  advice  as  this. 
Can  you  not  trust  me  ?  " 

"  Monsieur,"  he  replied  a  little  bitterly, "  I  have  already 
told  you  that  I  have  my  own  code  of  honour.  It  sounds 
strange  from  the  lips  of  an  adventurer,  does  it  not  ? 
But  I  cannot  betray  the  man  whose  bread  I  eat.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  I  know  nothing  ;  to-morrow  I  may 
know  more — that  is  why  I  am  speaking  to-night.  Now  I 
must  leave  you,  but  I  say  again  with  all  the  earnestness  I 

F.A.  18 


2  74    ^   Mysterious    Warning 

possess,  send  your  sister  to  Rochelle  in  the  morning,  even 
if  you  have  to  force  her  to  go  !  " 

Raising  his  voice  he  uttered  some  commonplace  about 
the  brilliancy  of  the  scene,  smiled  brightly,  waved  his 
hand,  and  disappeared,  leaving  me  lost  in  wonder  and 
perplexity. 

What  was  the  meaning  of  this  strange  warning  ?  He 
was  in  deadly  earnest ;  of  that  there  could  be  no  doubt, 
and  yet  he  refused  to  give  me  the  slightest  clue  to  the 
mjrstery.  But  perhaps  that  very  refusal  would  help  to 
reveal  the  secret !  I  must  discuss  the  matter  with  Felix, 
and  meanwhile  try  to  bear  myself  as  if  nothing  had 
happened. 

As  a  matter  of  precaution,  however,  I  told  Jeanne  I 
had  received  news  from  Rochelle,  and  that  it  might  be 
necessary  for  her  to  travel  to  that  town. 

"There  is  nothing  at  which  to  be  alarmed,"  I  continued, 
"but  we  will  talk  about  it  to-morrow.  If  it  really  becomes 
necessary  for  you  to  go,  I  shall  want  you  to  depart  with- 
out delay." 

Jeanne  was  a  brave  girl.  "  Do  you  fear  danger, 
Edmond  ?  "  she  asked.  "  If  there  is  danger,  I  will  stay 
and  share  it  with  you." 

"  What  a  queer  fancy  !  "  I  exclaimed  lightly.  "It  is 
just  a  little  matter  in  which  you  can  be  of  assistance 
to  the  Cause";  at  which  she  smiled,  saying,  "Anything 
I  can  do  for  the  Cause,  Edmond,  I  will  do  willingly." 

"  Even  leave  Paris  !  "  I  laughed,  and  having  driven 
away  her  fears  I  left  her. 

Felix  was  very  bright  and  joyous  that  night,  and  so 
merry  in  himself  that  he  failed  to  notice  my  thought- 


A    Mysterious    Warning     275 

fulness.  I  said  nothing  of  L'Estang's  communication 
until  we  were  alone  in  our  room,  when  I  told  him  the 
story. 

I  had  not  to  ask  for  his  opinion.  Almost  before  I 
had  finished,  he  exclaimed  with  decision,  "  Whatever  this 
does  or  does  not  mean,  Jeanne  must  go  to  Rochelle. 
L'Estang  has  proved  himself  your  friend ;  he  can  have 
no  reason  for  deceiving  you." 

"  I  will  answer  for  L'Estang's  loyalty." 

"  Then  send  Jeanne  away ;  or,  rather,  take  her  your- 
self." 

"  That  is  impossible !  If  there  is  anything  in 
L'Estang's  story,  it  points  to  a  plot  against  our  chief. 
He  is  evidently  afraid  of  trouble,  perhaps  of  fierce  fight- 
ing between  the  two  parties,  and  thinks  my  sister  would 
be  safer  out  of  the  city." 

"  He  gave  you  no  hint  ?  " 

"  Not  the  slightest.  He  said  he  knew  nothing,  but 
had  he  known  he  would  not  have  betrayed  his  own  party. 
We  must  remember  that  though  he  has  done  so  much  for 
me,  he  belongs  to  the  side  of  our  opponents.  It  must 
have  cost  him  a  struggle  to  tell  what  he  did." 

"  Yes,"  said  Felix  thoughtfully,  "  between  loyalty 
to  his  party  and  friendship  for  you  he  was  in  a  cleft 
stick !    You  will  repeat  the  story  to  our  patron  ?  " 

"  To  what  end  ?  He  has  received  dozens  of  warn- 
ings !    StiU,  I  will  tell  him." 

I  obtained  Httle  sleep  that  night ;  spending  the  hours 
tossing  restlessly,  turning  from  side  to  side,  wondering 
what  the  danger  was  which  had  induced  L'Estang  to  give 
this  indirect  but  ominous  warning.     As  soon  as   the 


276     A    Mysterious    Warning 

household  began  to  stir,  I  rose  and  dressed,  eager  to 
seek  an  interview  with  Cohgny. 

He  was  already  dressed  and  busy  with  Des  Pruneaux, 
but  he  spoke  to  me  graciously  and  with  the  kindly  in- 
terest that  he  ever  showed. 

"  You  must  not  keep  me  long,  Le  Blanc,"  he  said, 
laying  a  hand  on  my  shoulder  in  his  fatherly  manner. 

"  My  lord,"  I  replied,  "  you  shall  have  my  story  in 
the  fewest  possible  words.  I  think  it  is  of  the  greatest 
importance,  but  in  any  case  I  am  bound  to  tell  you  ! 
When  we  were  in  Rochelle,  I  did  a  simple  service  for  one 
of  our  opponents." 

"  A  good  deed  ever  brings  forth  good  fruit,  my  boy." 

"  It  did  in  this  instance,  my  lord.  The  man,  who  is  in 
the  pay  of  Monseigneur,  has  since  proved  a  faithful  friend 
in  connexion  with  my  private  affairs.  I  owe  him  my 
life.  He  is,  I  believe ,  deep  in  the  secrets  of  his  party,  but 
these  he  has  never  revealed,  and  I  have  never  asked  him." 

"  Quite  right,"  observed  the  Admiral. 

"  Since  the  death  of  Queen  Joan,  my  sister  has  lived 
in  Paris  with  the  Countess  Guichy.  Last  night  this 
strange  friend  of  mine  advised  me  with  the  utmost 
earnestness  to  have  her  conveyed  to  Rochelle.  He 
gave  me  no  reason,  but  from  his  manner  I  am  sure 
he  fears  something  terrible  is  about  to  happen.  '  Invent 
what  excuse  you  like,'  said  he,  '  but  to-morrow  morn- 
ing send  Jacques  ' — that  is  my  servant — '  to  Rochelle 
in  charge  of  your  sister,  and  let  him  make  no  delay 
on  the  road.'  There  must  be  some  grave  reason  for 
his  advice,  my  lord." 

"  You  have  no  doubt  of  this  man's  friendship  ?  " 


A    Mysterious    Warning     277 

"  Not  a  shadow  of  doubt ;  he  has  proved  it  to  the 
hilt." 

"  Then  your  sister  must  leave  Paris  promptly,  and 
she  shall  carry  a  letter  from  me  to  the  commandant. 
That  will  furnish  an  excuse  for  her  hurried  departure. 
I  will  write  it  immediately." 

"  But,  my  lord,"  I  said  hesitatingly,  for  it  ever 
required  some  courage  to  hint  that  he  should  take 
measures  for  his  personal  safety,  "  it  is  of  the  possible 
peril  to  yourself  I  am  thinking." 

"  I  do  not  believe  there  is  any  danger,"  he  replied ; 
"  but  I  am  in  the  hands  of  God,  Le  Blanc.  If  He, 
in  His  wisdom,  and  for  His  own  good  purpose,  wills 
that  I  should  die  at  my  post,  I  am  content.  Now, 
Des  Pruneaux  shall  write  the  letter,  and  after  breakfaist 
you  shall  take  it  to  your  sister." 

I  went  out,  and  writing  a  note  to  Jeanne,  bidding 
her  get  ready  for  an  early  start,  sent  it  off  by  Jacques. 

"  I  wonder,"  said  Felix,  "  if  your  friend's  warning 
has  anything  to  do  with  the  king's  fresh  move. 
Last  night  twelve  hundred  of  the  guards  marched 
into  Paris,  and  are  quartered  near  the  Louvre." 

"  They  may  be  wanted  to  overawe  Guise  and  Anjou," 
I  suggested.     "  If -so,  it  was  a  wise  step  to  take." 

"  Yes,  if  so  !  "  he  agreed,  but  the  tone  of  his  voice 
did  not  imply  much  confidence  in  my  suggestion. 

As  soon  as  Jacques  returned,  I  told  him  to  prepare 
for  a  journey  to  Rochelle,  dwelling  strongly  upon  the 
necessity  for  the  greatest  expedition. 

"  There  is  some  danger  threatening  you,"  exclaimed 
the  trusty  fellow. 


2yS      A   Mysterious   Warning 

"  No  more  than  there  was  yesterday,  Jacques ;  but  I 
am  uneasy  about  my  sister,  and  would  rather  she  were 
behind  the  walls  of  La  Rochelle." 

"  I  do  not  hke  leaving  you,  monsieur." 

"  You  must,  Jacques  ;  there  is  no  one  else  to  whom 
I  would  care  to  entrust  my  sister.  But  not  a  word 
to  her  of  the  real  reason  !  She  must  imagine  she  is 
doing  us  a  service  or  she  will  not  stir  ;  so  we  are  sending 
her  with  a  letter  from  the  Admiral  to  the  commandant 
at  RocheUe." 

When  Fehx  and  I  went  to  the  house,  we  were  received 
by  the  countess,  who  was  not  at  all  pleased  by  the 
news  of  Jeanne's  approaching  departure.  "  What  new 
conspiracy  is  this,"  she  asked,  "  that  you  need  a  young 
girl  for  an  ally  ?  Have  you  not  men  enough  to  do 
your  work  ?  " 

"  Ah,"  laughed  Felix  playfully,  "  you  wish  to  dis- 
cover our  secrets.  It  is  quite  useless,  my  lady ;  we 
are  proof  against  all  your  wiles  ;  but  on  her  return, 
Mademoiselle  Jeanne  shall  tell  you  herself ;  you  won't 
be  able  to  do  any  mischief  then  !  " 

"  You  are  a  saucy  boy !  "  exclaimed  the  countess, 
pinching  his  ear.  "  And  pray,  which  of  you  is  to  be 
Jeanne's  escort  ?  " 

"  I  am  sending  my  servant,"  I  answered.  "  He  is 
very  trustworthy,  and  will  guard  her  with  his  own  life." 

"  Do  you  intend  your  sister  to  walk  to  Rochelle  ?  " 
she  asked,  the  humorous  twinkle  coming  back  to  her 
eyes. 

"  I  am  going  to  procure  a  carriage." 

"  You  will  do  nothing  of  the  kind !  "  she  declared 


A    Mysterious   Warning     279 

emphatically.  "  I  am  not  supposed  to  be  acquainted 
with  your  stupid  plots,  and  your  sister  shall  go  to 
Rochelle  in  my  carriage,  drawn  by  my  horses,  and 
driven  by  my  coachman.  The  poor  beasts  will  probably 
die  of  the  plague  in  that  gloomy  hole,  but  they  must 
take  their  chance.  Now,  do  not  speak !  I  am  not  to 
be  lectured  by  two  giddy  boys.  And  do  not  kiss  me, 
Fehx !  What  I  am  doing  is  for  Jeanne.  Perhaps 
when  they  cut  off  my  head  for  joining  in  your  horrid 
conspiracy  you  will  be  sorry.  Now,  have  the  horses 
put  into  the  carriage,  while  I  see  Jeanne." 

"  She  is  a  generous  soul !  "  exclaimed  Felix,  as  we 
left  the  room.  "  She  has  many  strange  whims,  but  no 
one  could  be  more  loyal  to  a  friend,  and  she  has  grown 
to  love  Jeanne  very  dearly." 

"  She  is  exceedingly  kind,"  I  said,  "  and  the  more 
so  since  we  have  no  claims  on  her  generosity." 

By  the  time  Jacques  arrived  everything  was  ready, 
and  we  had  only  to  bid  my  sister  good-bye.  She  bore 
up  bravely,  but  the  parting  was  a  painful  one,  for  in 
our  hearts  both  Felix  and  I  had  an  uneasy  feehng 
that  we  were  saying  farewell  to  her  for  ever.  Of  this, 
fortunately,  she  had  no  suspicion,  and  she  promised 
the  coimtess  to  return  directly  the  business  with  the 
commandant  was  finished. 

"  Remember,"  I  whispered  to  Jacques,  as  the  coach- 
man gathered  up  the  reins,  "  there  must  be  no  delay. 
Reach  Rochelle  as  quickly  as  possible,  and  keep  your 
mistress  there  until  I  send  to  you.  The  commandant, 
who  will  understand  the  real  purpose  of  the  journey, 
will  help  you." 


2  8o     A   Mysterious   Warning 

Jacques  drew  up  beside  the  carriage  ;  Jeanne,  leaning 
out,  fluttered  her  dainty  handkerchief  ;  we  waved  our 
hands  in  response,  and  she  was  gone, 

"  Jeanne  is  a  brave  girl  and  a  good  girl,"  said  the 
countess.  "  I  wish  she  were  my  daughter.  And  now, 
you  two  villains,  who  have  deprived  an  old  woman 
of  her  only  pleasure  in  life,  leave  me,  I  am  going  to 
my  room,  where  I  can  cry  comfortably,  I  am  not  so 
young  that  tears  will  spoil  my  eyes." 

On  our  way  back  to  the  Hdtel  Coligny  we  encountered 
Monseigneur,  with  a  body  of  his  gentlemen,  riding 
through  the  city.  Numerous  persons  were  in  the 
streets,  and  as  he  passed  by,  bowing  and  smiling 
graciously,  they  greeted  him  with  cheers. 

"  Anjou  has  some  purpose  in  doing  that,"  remarked 
Felix ;  but  I  made  no  answer,  being  occupied  in  watching 
L'Estang,  who  rode  in  the  very  rear  of  the  cavalcade. 
He  had  caught  sight  of  me,  and  while  still  looking 
straight  before  him  he  raised  his  hand,  pointing  signi- 
ficantly to  the  west.  I  nodded  my  head,  and  with 
a  smile  of  satisfaction  he  rode  on. 

"  Did  you  notice  that  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  Yes,"  replied  Felix,  "  but  without  understanding." 

"  The  meaning  was  plain  enough.  He  was  asking 
if  Jeanne  had  gone,  and  I  answered  *  Yes.'  " 

"  He  takes  a  great  interest  in  your  sister,"  said 
Felix  a  trifle  discontentedly. 

"  Because  she  is  my  sister,"  I  replied,  "  Listen, 
the  worthy  citizens  are  cheering  for  Guise  now." 

"  I  suppose  he  is  parading  the  streets  as  well.  What 
a  pack  of  fools  these  Parisians  are  !  " 


A    Mysterious   Warning     281 

*'  If  they  cheered  for  CoUgny,"  I  laughed,  "  you 
would  credit  them  with  all  the  wisdom  under  the  sun. 
So  much  depends  on  one's  point  of  view !  " 

"  Edmond !  Felix !  Why  do  you  look  so  aston- 
ished ?  Do  you  fancy  I  am  a  spirit  ?  Feel  my  hand  ; 
that  is  substantial  enough,  is  it  not  ?  "  and  Roger 
Braund  laughed  heartily  as  he  crossed  the  lobby  of 
the  Admiral's  house  toward  us. 

"  You  in  Paris  !  "  I  exclaimed,  after  we  had  ex- 
changed greetings,  "  when  did  you  arrive  ?  How 
long  !  ave  you  been  here  ?  " 

"  An  hour,"  he  repUed  cheerfully.  "  Is  your  sister 
well,  Edmond  ?  " 

"  Quite  well,  thank  you.  She  is  on  the  way  to 
Rochelle  ;  but  come  to  our  room,  where  we  can  talk 
more  privately." 

He  accompanied  us  to  our  room,  and  I  told  him 
the  story  as  it  has  been  set  down  here. 

"  You  did  right,"  said  he  thoughtfully !  "  Paris 
just  now  is  no  place  for  her.  But  this  journey  to 
Rochelle  is  a  hazardous  venture  with  only  Jacques 
to  protect  her  !  " 

"  Jacques  is  a  man  of  courage  and  discretion  !  " 
exclaimed  Fehx,  with  rather  more  heat  than  was 
necessary. 

"  Jacques  is  a  brave  fellow,"  agreed  Roger,  "  but 
he  is  only  one  man.  Edmond,  with  your  leave,  I 
will  set  out  after  the  travellers,  and  assist  Jacques 
in  guarding  your  sister." 

"  You  wUl  have  but  a  short  stay  in  Paris,"  remarked 
Felix. 


282     A    Mysterious   Warning 

"  I  shall  return  quickly  to  offer  my  sword  to  your 
chief.  From  Edmond's  story,  I  fancy  he  will  have 
need  of  all  his  friends.  I  left  my  horse  at  an  inn ;  it 
is  a  fine  beast,  and  is  thoroughly  rested  now.  I  will 
start  immediately.  No,  I  am  not  hungry  ;  I  have  made 
a  substantial  meal.  I  shall  come  straight  here  on  my 
return.  Good-bye  to  you  both.  Directly  I  have 
placed  Mademoiselle  Jeanne  in  safety  you  will  see  me 
again  ?  " 

We  had  scarcely  time  to  answer  before  he  had 
gone,  and  from  the  window  I  saw  him  speeding  along 
the  street  as  if  he  feared  the  loss  of  a  single  second 
would  overthrow  all  his  plans. 


CHAPTER   XXV 
A  Dastardly  Deed 

In  the  evening  of  that  same  day,  the  Admiral  in  passing 
to  his  room  inquired  kindly  if  I  had  executed  his  com- 
mission, and  appeared  pleased  to  learn  that  my 
sister  had  already  started  on  her  journey. 

"  I  do  not  think  it  was  necessary,"  he  remarked, 
"  but  at  least  no  harm  can  come  from  it,  and  you  will 
feel  easier  in  your  mind.  Good-night,  gentlemen ; 
our  plans  are  progressing  favourably,  and  I  hope  soon 
to  have  good  news  for  you  all." 

I  went  to  bed  early  that  night,  for  Felix,  unlike  his 
usual  bright  self,  was  very  gloomy  and  morose.  I 
fancy  he  was  not  well  pleased  with  the  coming  of  Roger 
Brarmd,  and  still  less  so  with  his  ready  offer  to  escort 
Jeanne  to  Rochelle. 

"  What  is  the  fellow  doing  here  at  all  ?  "  he  asked. 
"  Why  can  he  not  stay  in  his  own  country  ?  " 

I  ventured  to  suggest  that  no  one  put  the  question  at 
Jamac,  or  at  Montcontour,  and  that  we  of  the  Rehgion 
at  least  owed  a  great  debt  of  gratitude  to  Roger  and 
his  brave  comrades.  Felix  seemed  rather  to  resent 
this  remarH,  so  I  said  no  more,  trusting  that  by  another 

283 


284         A    Dastardly    Deed 

day  he  would  have  recovered  his  good  humour  and 
pleasant  manners. 

I  remember  well  how  that  memorable  day  began. 
It  was  Friday,  August  22,  and  as  I  wakened  from  a 
long  sleep  the  cheery  rays  of  the  morning  sun  flooded 
the  room.  How  little  any  of  us  in  the  Hotel  Coligny 
dreamed  of  what  was  to  happen  before  that  same  sun 
sank  to  rest ! 

After  breakfast,  Des  Pruneaux  drew  me  on  one 
side.  "  The  Admiral  proceeds  to  the  Louvre  this 
morning,"  he  said.  "  De  Guerchy  and  I  attend  him  ; 
you  and  Belli^vre  will  walk  a  little  distance  behind 
us.  Be  more  vigilant  even  than  usual,  for  there  are 
strange  rumours  abroad." 

Each  trifling  incident  comes  back  to  me  now  as 
vividly  as  if  it  happened  yesterday.  We  went  to 
the  Louvre,  waited  while  our  chief  transacted  his  busi- 
ness, and  started  on  the  journey  home.  Presently 
we  met  Charles,  who  greeted  the  Admiral  affectionately, 
and  the  two  walked  together  in  the  direction  of  the 
tennis-court.  Des  Pruneaux  and  De  Guerchy  joined 
the  king's  attendants ;  Felix  and  I  followed  a  few 
paces  in  the  rear. 

At  the  court  Charles  and  the  Duke  of  Guise  made 
up  a  match  against  our  patron's  son-in-law,  Teligny, 
and  a  gentleman  whose  name  I  did  not  know.  The 
Admiral  stood  watching  the  game  for  some  time, 
but  between  ten  and  eleven  o'clock  he  bade  the  king 
adieu  and  once  more  started  for  home.  He  walked 
between  Des  Pruneaux  and  De  Guerchy,  talking  cheer- 
fully about  the  game,  and  praising  the  skill  of  the  king 


A    Dastardly    Deed         285 

for  Charles  was  certainly  an  accomplished  player, 
superior  in  my  opinion  even  to  Guise. 

"  Yes,"  exclaimed  Felix,  to  whom  I  passed  some 
such  remark,  and  who  had  not  altogether  thrown  off 
his  bitterness  of  the  previous  day,  "  if  he  were  as  good 
a  ruler  as  tennis-player  France  might  have  some  chance 
of  happiness." 

"  Well,  he  is  making  good  progress  even  in  that !  " 
I  rephed  cheerfully. 

I  have  said  that  the  hotel  was  in  the  Rue  de 
I'Arbre  Sec,  at  the  corner  of  the  Rue  de  Bethisy, 
and  we  were  passing  along  the  Rue  des  Fosses  de 
St.  Germain,  when  a  man  approached  the  Admiral 
with  what  looked  like  a  petition.  We  quickened  our 
pace,  but  the  citizen  was  an  inoffensive  person, 
and  the  Admiral,  taking  the  paper,  began  to  read, 
walking  on  slowly  the  while. 

He  turned  the  corner  in  front  of  us,  and  was  hidden 
for  an  instant  from  our  view,  when  we  heard  a  loud 
report. 

"  Treachery !  "  cried  my  comrade,  drawing  his 
sword,  and  with  a  rush  we  sped  round  the  comer.  My 
heart  leaped  into  my  mouth  as  I  realized  what  had 
happened.  There  was  our  noble  chief,  the  truest, 
bravest,  most  chivalrous  man  in  France,  supported 
in  De  Guerchy's  arms. 

Des  Pruneaux,  who  was  stanching  the  blood  with 
a  handkerchief,  pointed  to  the  latticed  windows  of 
the  Hotel  de  Retz  on  our  right,  and,  understanding 
it  was  from  there  the  assassin  had  fired,  we  ran  across, 
my  comrade's  cries  of  "  For  the  Admiral !  "  bringing  out 


2  86         A   Dastardly   Deed 

a  number  of  Huguenot  gentlemen  who  lodged  in  the 
neighbourhood. 

"  This  way  !  "  I  cried  excitedly,  "  the  assassin  is  in 
this  house  !  "  and  the  next  minute,  having  burst  open 
the  doors,  we  were  swarming  into  the  building.  Save 
for  a  deaf  old  woman  and  a  horse-boy  the  place  was 
empty,  and  a  howl  of  rage  rose  from  the  searchers. 

Nothing  could  be  got  from  the  old  woman,  but  Felix, 
clutching  the  boy  by  the  throat,  demanded  sternly 
"  Where  is  the  cissassin  ?    Speak,  or  I  will  kill  you  !  " 

"  The  man  who  was  upstairs  has  got  away  through 
the  cloisters,  monsieur.  I  do  not  know  him.  I  was 
only  told  to  bring  a  swift  horse  from  my  master's 
stables." 

"  Who  is  your  master  ?  " 

"  The  Duke  of  Guise,  monsieur,"  and  at  that  another 
howl  of  execration  went  up,  several  men  shouting 
"  Guise  is  the  murderer  !     Kill  the  Duke  of  Guise  !  " 

"  Whose  house  is  this  ?  "  I  asked. 

The  boy  could  not  answer,  but  a  voice  cried  out 
"  Canon  Vallemur's  !  He  used  to  be  the  Duke's  tutor  ! 
Guise  is  the  assassin  !  " 

"  Yes,  yes  !     Let  us  kill  Guise  !  " 

"  Here  is  the  weapon,"  cried  one  of  the  searchers, 
bringing  forward  an  arquebus  which  he  had  found  in 
the  window ;  "it  has  Monseigneur's  arms  stamped 
on  it ;  it  must  belong  to  one  of  his  body-guard.  Guise 
and  Anjou  are  the  murderers  !  " 

"  Come,"  exclaimed  Felix,  "  we  can  do  nothing 
here  ;  the  fellow  is  out  of  the  city  by  now  !  " 

An  excited  crowd  had  gathered  in  front  of  the  hoUl 


A    Dastardly    Deed         287 

Coligny,  but,  pushing  the  people  roughly  aside,  we 
made  our  way  into  the  courtyard. 

"  Is  he  dead  ?  "  asked  Felix  of  one  of  our  com- 
rades. 

"  No ;  one  bullet  carried  off  the  first  linger  of  his 
right  hand  ;  the  other  wounded  him  seriously  in  the 
left  arm.  Pare  " — the  king's  own  surgeon — "  is  attend- 
ing him.  They  say  Charles  is  furious,  but  I  do  not 
know ;  all  his  family  are  accomplished  actors.  Were 
you  there  ?  Did  yon  see  it  done  ?  Tell  us  all  about 
it,"  and  they  gathered  round  as  Felix  described  the 
incident  and  the  search  in  the  empty  house. 

"  Guise  is  the  real  murderer  !  "  exclaimed  one  angrily. 

"  Or  Anjou  !  " 

"  Or  both  !  " 

"  If  Charles  doesn't  punish  them,  we  won't  rest 
till  we  have  made  an  end  of  him  and  his  whole  stock  !  " 

"  'Tis  likely  he  is  as  guilty  as  the  rest !  " 

"  And  Coligny  trusts  him  implicitly  !  " 

"  The  Admiral  is  too  trustful  and  kind-hearted ! 
Did  you  hear  what  he  said  to  Des  Pruneaux  ?  '  I 
forgive  freely  and  with  all  my  heart  both  him  that 
struck  me  and  those  who  incited  him  to  do  it.'  If  I 
catch  the  fellow,  I  will  tear  him  limb  from  limb  !  " 

"  Let  us  capture  Guise  and  Anjou,"  cried  Felix, 
"  and  if  the  Admiral  dies  hang  them  both." 

"  Bravo,  Belli^vre !  There's  sense  in  that !  To 
arms,  my  friends  !  We  will  have  vengeance  !  "  and 
a  number  of  the  most  hot-headed  were  rushing  out 
wildly  when  a  cry  arose  of  "  Navarre  !  Navarre  !  " 
and,  going  to  the  street,  we  saw  Henry  of  Navarre 


288         A    Dastardly   Deed 

accompanied  by  five  or  six  hundred  Huguenot  gentle- 
men. 

The  gallant  prince  was  angry  and  excited.  "  What 
means  this  foul  outrage  ?  "  he  cried,  leaping  from  his 
horse.     "  Have  they  slain  our  noble  leader  ?  " 

"  No,  no,  sire  ;  he  has  been  shot  at  and  wounded, 
but  he  is  not  dead.  Way  there  for  Navarre  !  We 
want  justice,  sire  !  " 

"  By  my  faith,  gentlemen,"  exclaimed  the  fiery 
Henry,  as  he  mounted  the  stairs,  "  you  shall  have  it, 
or  Navarre  shall  lose  its  monarch." 

Save  for  the  sick-room,  where  our  illustrious  chief 
lay,  the  whole  house  was  crowded  with  excited  men. 
From  time  to  time  messengers  arrived  bringing  reports 
from  the  city,  and  from  their  accounts  it  really  looked 
as  if  Charles  was  bent  on  discovering  and  punishing 
the  murderer.  The  civic  guards  were  mustered ;  the 
sentries  at  the  gates  doubled ;  and  no  one  was 
permitted  to  go  armed  into  the  streets. 

"  A  blind  !  "  cried  some  hotly.  "  There  is  no  need 
to  hunt  for  the  murderer ;  Charles  can  find  him  at 
his  own  table  !  " 

"  Why  do  we  stay  here  ?  "  cried  Felix ;  "let  us 
march  to  the  palace  and  demand  justice  !  " 

" Let  us  first  consult  Navarre,"  said  another  ;  "he 
must  be  our  leader  now,"  and  the  majority  agreed 
with  this  suggestion. 

About  two  oclock  a  man  came  running  into  the 
courtyard  crying  "  The  king  !  The  king  !  "  and  shortly 
afterwards  Charles  appeared,  followed  by  his  mother 
and  Anjou.    And  here  I  must  say  that  few  of  us,  after 


A    Dastardly    Deed         289 

looking  at  his  gloomy  face,  believed  that  he  had  any 
share  in  the  dastardly  plot  against  our  beloved  chief. 
We  let  him  pass  in  silence,  but  when  Anjou  came,  there 
were  many  muttered  threats  of  vengeance,  and  more 
than  one  loud  cry  of  "  Assassin  !  " 

"  Monseigneur  comes  to  gloat  over  his  victim !  " 
exclaimed  one  man,  and  so  intense  was  our  anger  that 
but  for  the  king's  presence  I  doubt  if  Monseigneur 
would  have  left  the  house  alive. 

When  the  royal  party  had  ended  their  visit,  Henry, 
Conde,  and  other  leading  members  of  our  party  held 
a  meeting  in  one  of  the  lower  rooms.  Felix  and  I 
remained  on  duty  in  the  ante-chamber  where  De  Guerchy 
came  to  fetch  us. 

"  The  King  of  Navarre  wishes  to  learn  the  truth  about 
the  discoveries  in  Vallemur's  house,"  he  said. 

The  room  was  very  crowded,  and  the  nobles  were 
discussing  the  situation  with  fierce  excitement. 

"  'Tis  no  time  for  playing  like  children,"  De  Pilles 
was  saying,  "  I  tell  you  we  are  all  doomed  ;  this  is 
but  the  first  stroke.  Let  us  strike  back,  and  strike 
hard." 

"  I  would  suggest,"  said  his  neighbour,  "  that  ws 
get  Coligny  safe  to  Rochelle,  and  then  gather  all 
our  forces." 

"  We  cannot  move  the  Admiral ;  Par6  will  not 
answer  for  his  life  if  he  is  moved." 

"  My  lords,"  said  Teligny,  "  I  do  not  think  it  is 
necessary.  I  am  convinced  that  the  king  has  no  hand 
in  this  vile  outrage,  and  that  if  we  trust  him  he  will 
bring  the  murderer  to  justice." 

F.A.  19 


290         A   Dastardly   Deed 

"  What !  "  sneered  De  Pilles,  "  execute  his  own 
brother !  Or  even  the  Duke  of  Guise !  You  have 
more  faith  in  Charles  than  I  have  !  " 

"  Where  are  those  gentlemen  who  helped  to  search 
the  house  ? "  asked  Henry.  "  Let  them  stand  for- 
ward. Ah,  my  friend,"  catching  sight  of  me,  "  I  have 
not  forgotten  your  face.  Now  let  us  hear  the  story, 
and  why  the  Duke  of  Guise  is  suspected  in  the  matter." 

Thereupon  I  related  all  that  had  occurred,  and  at 
the  conclusion  Henry  observed  gravely,  "  Truly  there 
is  something  here  for  the  Duke  to  explain  !  " 

"  Explain,  sire  !  "  cried  De  Pilles  scornfully,  "  how 
can  he  explain  ?  Who  here  doubts  the  Duke's  guilt  ? 
Let  us  kill  him  and  Anjou,  I  say,  or  they  will  kill  us. 
Put  no  trust  in  Charles.  They  will  drag  him  into  the 
plot." 

"  What  would  you  have  us  do  ? "  asked  Henry ; 
"  overthrow  the  throne  ?  " 

"  Ay,"  answered  De  Pilles  stoutly,  "  I  would  clear 
the  kingdom  of  the  whole  family." 

I  cannot  say  what  further  arguments  were  used,  as 
De  Guerchy  made  a  sign  for  us  to  withdraw ;  but  pre- 
sently the  meeting  broke  up,  and  the  cavaliers,  mount- 
ing their  horses,  rode  away,  singing  psalms,  and  vow- 
ing to  obtain  justice. 

"  De  Pilles  was  right !  "  exclaimed  Felix,  as  we  re- 
turned to  the  ante-chamber ;  "  this  means  war  to 
the  knife,  and  the  sooner  our  leaders  give  the  word 
the  better.  I  am  thankful  that  your  sister  has  left 
Paris." 

"  We  owe  that  to  L'Estang       I  wonder  if  he  had 


A    Dastardly   Deed         291 

any  actual  information  of  what  was  about  to  happen  ? 
I  have  a  mind  to  endeavour  to  find  him  this  even- 
ing ;    he  will  probably  be  at  the  Louvre." 

"  We  will  go  together,"  said  Felix,  and  accordingly 
about  seven  o'clock,  there  being  nothing  for  us  to  do, 
we  set  out. 

The  city  was  in  a  state  of  intense  excitement,  the 
streets  were  thronged,  and  groups  of  men  were  dis- 
cussing the  attempt  on  the  Admiral's  life,  and  prais- 
ing those  who  had  directed  the  plot. 

"  The  king  is  too  weak,"  they  said,  "  this  Coligny 
twines  him  round  his  finger.  He  should  listen  to 
Monseigneur  and  the  Duke  of  Guise ;  they  would 
make  an  end  of  these  Huguenots." 

Several  times  I  had  to  grasp  Fehx  by  the  arms, 
and  whisper  to  him  to  control  himself,  since  a  brawl 
in  the  streets  could  end  only  in  his  death  and  mine. 
A  knowledge  of  fence  is  of  little  service  against  a  mob 
of  ruffians  armed  with  clubs  and  pikes. 

Approaching  the  Marais  we  heard  a  tremendous 
hubbub,  and  running  forward  quickly  beheld  a  number 
of  Huguenot  gentlemen  gathered  outside  the  Hotel  de 
Guise,  waving  their  swords  defiantly  and  threatening 
to  have  justice  done  upon  the  Duke.  De  Pilles  was 
at  their  head,  and  I  expected  every  moment  to  see 
him  give  the  signal  for  an  attack  on  the  building.  Had 
he  done  so,  he  would  have  been  instantly  obeyed,  and 
perhaps  we  should  not  have  had  cause  to  mourn  the 
horrors  of  the  impending  tragedy. 

Instead  of  doing  so,  however,  he  suddenly  exclaimed, 
"  To  the  palace  1    We  will  demand  justice  from  the 


292  A   Dastardly   Deed 

king ;  he  cannot  deny  us  !  "  and  the  Huguenots,  sus- 
picious, alarmed  and  rapidly  losing  their  heads,  took 
up  the  cry. 

"  To  the  palace  !  "  they  shouted ;  "let  us  see  if 
Charles  will  give  us  justice  !  " 

Felix,  as  passionate  and  headstrong  as  any  of  them, 
exclaimed,  "Come  along,  Edmond  ;  we  shall  count 
two  more.  Let  us  discover  if  there  is  any  honour  in 
the  man." 

Not  believing  it  could  effect  any  good,  I  had  no  wish 
to  be  drawn  into  the  flighty  venture,  but  as  my  com- 
rade was  resolute  in  courting  danger  I  was  forced 
to  accompany  him. 

The  king  was  at  supper  when,  flourishing  our  swords 
and  demanding  justice,  we  burst  into  the  palace. 
Charles  behaved  coolly  enough,  but  Anjou,  who  sat 
next  to  him,  changed  colour  and  trembled,  while  beads 
of  sweat  stood  upon  his  forehead. 

"  We  demand  justice,  sire  !  "  cried  De  Pilles,  who 
cared  no  more  for  a  monarch  than  for  a  peasant.  "  If 
the  king  refuses  it  we  will  take  the  matter  into  our 
own  hands,"  and  he  looked  at  Anjou,  who  averted  his 
head. 

"  You  will  obtain  justice,  gentlemen,"  answered 
Charles.  "  My  word  is  pledged,  and  I  will  not  break 
it.  I  have  assured  my  friend,  the  noble  Coligny,  that 
the  villain  who  shot  him  shall  be  sought  out  and  pun- 
ished. I  win  not  spare  the  guilty  parties  whoever 
they  are !  " 

At  that  we  gave  him  a  round  of  cheers,  and  marched 
out,  De  Pilles  and  his  followers  returning  straight  to 


A    Dastardly    Deed         293 

the  city.  L'Estang  was  not  present,  but  seeing  one 
of  Anjou's  guards  I  asked  if  he  could  find  my  friend 
for  me,  which  he  did. 

"  The  palace  is  not  a  safe  place  for  you  to-night," 
said  L'Estang  as  he  came  to  meet  me. 

"  As  safe  as  any  part  of  the  city,"  I  answered.  "It 
seems  I  did  well  in  taking  your  advice  and  sending 
my  sister  away.  You  have  heard  of  this  morning's 
dastardly  crime  ?  " 

"  All  Paris  has  heard  of  it,"  sedd  he  ;  "  but  pardon 
me  if  I  say  that  to-night's  folly  will  not  make  the  king's 
task  any  the  easier." 

"  Surely  you  do  not  expect  us  to  see  our  leader 
murdered  without  protest !  "  exclaimed  Felix. 

"  Not  at  all ;  but  there  is  such  a  thing  as  being 
over  hasty.  It  would  have  paid  better  to  show,  or  to 
appear  to  show,  some  trust  in  the  king." 

"  Pshaw  !  "  cried  my  comrade,  "  for  all  we  know 
Charles  himself  is  responsible  for  the  deed  !  " 

"At  all  events,"  I  said,  "  the  plot  must  have  been 
known  beforehand  in  the  palace !  " 

"If  you  think  that, because  I  warned  you  to  remove 
your  sister  from  Paris,  you  are  mistaken.  Your  sur- 
prise this  morning  was  not  greater  than  my  own.  I 
beUeve  that  scarcely  any  one  inside  the  palace  knew 
of  what  was  going  on." 

"  But  you  yourself  expected  trouble  of  some  kind  !  " 

"  True ;  and  now  I  am  sure  of  it.  How  can  it  be 
avoided  ?  Each  side  is  suspicious  of  the  other  :  you 
are  angry,  and  justly  angry,  at  the  assault  on  your 
chief,  and  you  threaten  vengeance  even  on  the  king. 


2  94         A    Dastardly   Deed 

I  believe  he  wishes  to  be  your  friend,  and  you  are 
driving  him  into  the  arms  of  your  enemies.  Do  you 
fancy  he  will  care  to  trust  himself  in  your  hands  after 
to-night's  mad  freak  ?  But  the  hour  grows  late,  and 
the  streets  are  not  safe  ;  I  will  walk  a  short  distance 
with  you." 

"  The  citizens  are  still  abroad !  "  I  remarked  after 
a  time.     "  Listen  !  they  are  cheering  for  Guise  !  " 

"  And  there  lies  the  trouble,"  he  said.  "  But,  mon- 
sieur, I  have  a  private  word  for  you.  Etienne  Cordel 
is  in  Paris  ;  he  can  read  the  signs  as  well  as  most  men, 
and  if  there  is  a  disturbance  he  will  take  advantage 
of  it.  You  are  doubly  in  danger — first  as  a  Huguenot 
and  a  friend  of  Coligny's ;  next  as  the  owner  of 
Le  Blanc.  You  will  have  to  steer  skilfully  to  avoid 
both  dangers  !  " 

"  You  speak  as  if  a  plot  to  murder  the  Huguenots 
were  already  afoot." 

"  I  am  aware  of  no  plot  at  present,"  he  said,  "  but 
after  to-day's  unlucky  events  one  can  be  sure  of  nothing. 
Here  is  the  corner  of  your  street ;  I  will  bid  you  good- 
night, and  once  more  I  repeat  my  warning.  Guard 
yourself,  and  sleep  with  your  sword  at  your  hand." 


CHAPTER   XXVI 
What  will  the  King   do  ? 

The  morning  of  August  23  broke  bright  and  clear, 
but  I  rose  from  my  bed  with  a  troubled  and  imquiet 
feeling.  I  had  passed  a  restless  night,  dreaming  that 
all  Paris  was  ablaze,  and  that  the  streets  of  the  city 
were  running  with  blood,  and  I  could  not  get  rid  of 
the  thought  that  some  terrible  calamity  was  about  to 
happen. 

Directly  it  was  light  the  house  began  to  fill  with 
Huguenot  gentlemen,  asking  eagerly  how  it  fared 
with  their  beloved  chief.  He  was  still  extremely 
weak,  but  Pare  spoke  hopefully,  declaring  there  was 
no  cause  for  alarm,  and  that  his  illustrious  patient 
required  only  rest  and  quietness. 

"  In  a  few  days  he  will  be  able  to  leave  Paris,"  said 
the  famous  surgeon,  "  and  his  recovery  is  certain.  I 
have  not  the  slightest  anxiety  about  him." 

This  was  cheering  news,  but  as  the  day  wore  on 
strange  and  alarming  rumours  began  to  reach  us  from 
the  city.  Our  spies  reported  that  the  streets  were 
thronged  with  excited  people,  cheering  for  Guise 
and  threatening  the  Huguenots  with  death. 

296 


296     What  will  the  King  do  ? 

"There  is  some  one  behind  all  this,"  said  Felix, 
**  some  one  working  in  secret  to  stir  up  the  passions  of 
the  citizens.  Unless  the  king  interferes  there  will 
be  a  terrible  outbreak  shortly." 

About  noon — we  had  not  long  risen  from  dinner — 
a  man  arrived  bearing  news  that,  to  our  heated  imagin- 
ations, was  startUng  indeed.  A  great  meeting 
was  taking  place  at  the  Hotel  de  Guise,  where  our 
bitterest  enemies  had  assembled.  The  spy  brought 
a  list  of  the  names,  and  as  he  recounted  them  one  by 
one  our  feeling  of  uneasiness  deepened. 

"  'Tis  a  plot  against  us,"  said  one,  "  with  Guise  at 
the  head,  and  Anjou  secretly  favouring  it." 

"  Are  we  to  wait  to  be  killed  like  sheep  ?  "  demanded 
Felix.  "  Have  we  not  swords  of  our  own  ?  Shall 
we  keep  them  in  their  scabbards  ?  Out  upon  us  for 
timid  hares  !  We  deserve  to  die,  if  we  have  not  the 
courage  to  strike  a  blow  in  our  own  defence  !  " 

"  What  can  we  do  ? "  asked  Carnaton,  who  had 
just  come  from  the  sick-room.  "  The  Admiral  is 
helpless,  and  Henry  of  Navarre  is  being  closely  watched. 
We  have  no  leaders,  and  it  would  be  folly  for  us  to 
break  the  peace." 

"  Let  us  wait,"  laughed  Felix  mockingly,  "  till 
this  dog  of  a  Guise  has  murdered  us  all !  Then,  per- 
haps, it  will  be  time  to  strike." 

"  The  king  has  pledged  his  word  to  protect  us," 
said  La  Bonne ;  "let  us  ask  him  to  send  a  guard  for 
our  chief." 

"  A  guard  for  CoHgny !  "  cried  Felix  in  a  bitter 
tone ;  "  a  guard  for  Coligny,  and  a  thousand  Huguenot 


What  will  the  King  do  ?     297 

gentlemen  in  Paris  !  Let  us  summon  our  comrades 
and  guard  our  chief  with  our  own  lives  !  " 

We  spoke  angrily,  and  many  sharp  words  passed 
between  us,  the  more  fiery  of  the  speakers  upholding 
FeUx,  the  cooler  and  wiser  ones  supporting  La  Bonne, 
and  finally  it  was  agreed  to  despatch  a  messenger  to 
the  king. 

"  When  the  troops  arrive,"  said  Felix,  "  we  will 
give  them  our  weapons  to  take  care  of  for  us  !  " 

I  did  not  hold  altogether  with  my  hot-headed 
comrade,  but  when  in  the  course  of  an  hour  or  two 
the  king's  soldiers  marched  into  the  street  I  began 
to  think  we  had  committed  a  serious  blunder.  There 
were  fifty  of  them,  and  at  their  head  marched  Cos- 
seins,  the  Admiral's  determined  enemy. 

"  Faith  !  "  exclaimed  Felix,  as  the  soldiers  posted 
themselves  in  two  houses  close  at  hand,  "  I  have 
heard  that  Charles  loves  a  practical  joke,  but  this 
must  be  one  of  the  grimmest  that  even  he  has 
played  !  " 

"  He  could  have  bettered  it,"  said  Yolet,  our  be- 
loved chief's  trusty  esquire,  "  only  by  sending  Guise 
himself !  " 

Presently  a  man,  threading  his  way  through  the  crowd 
in  front  of  the  courtyard,  ran  up  to  Carnaton,  and 
whispered  something  in  his  ear. 

"  More  bad  news  ? "  said  I,  noticing  his  look  of 
surprise. 

"  I  fear  it  is  not  good  at  any  rate,"  he  rephed  slowly. 
"  Charles  has  sent  for  Guise  to  the  Louvre." 

"  Guise   at   the    Louvre !  "    cried   Felix,    "  and   we 


298     What  will  the  King  do  ? 

stay  here  with  our  arms  folded !  Now  this  is  down- 
right madness  !  " 

"  It  may  be,"  suggested  La  Bonne  mildly,  "  that 
the  king  wishes  to  give  him  orders  not  to  break  the 
peace." 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  said  Felix,  "  that  we  might  employ 
our  time  better  than  in  inventing  excuses  for  our  enemies. 
This  visit  to  the  Louvre  means  that  Charles  has  gone 
over  to  the  side  of  Anjou  and  Guise." 

"  It  may  be  so,"  agreed  Camaton,  "  but  we  have 
no  proof." 

"  Proof !  "  cried  my  comrade  with  a  mocking  laugh, 
«*  it  will  be  sufficient  proof  when  one  of  Anjou's 
troopers  runs  a  sword  through  your  heart !  " 

Carnaton  was  about  to  reply  when  he  was  summoned 
to  attend  the  Admiral,  and  we  settled  down  to  wait 
doggedly  for  the  next  piece  of  information.  It  was 
not  long  in  coming.  A  messenger  despatched  by 
La  Bonne  returned  a  few  minutes  before  three 
o'clock.  His  face  was  pale,  and  he  had  a  frightened 
look  which  was  far  from  reassuring. 

"  Well  ?  "  exclaimed  La  Bonne,  "  what  news  ?  " 

"  111  news,  monsieur,"  repUed  the  man.  "  Guise 
has  left  the  Louvre  and  is  in  the  city.  The  streets 
are  crowded  and  the  citizens  are  wild  with  excitement. 
He  is  stirring  them  up  against  us,  and  they  are  cheering 
him,  and  crying  that  the  Huguenots  ought  not  to  live." 

We  gazed  at  each  other  blankly ;  this  certainly 
did  not  appear  as  if  Charles  had  given  him  any  peace- 
ful commands.  Nor  was  our  alarm  lessened  when  an 
hour  later  another  spy  reported  that  Anjou  and  An- 


What  will  the  King  do  ?     299 

gouleme  were  following  Guise's  example,  and  doing 
their  best  to  rouse  the  passions  of  the  people. 

"  They  are  teUing  the  citizens,"  our  messenger  said, 
"  that  a  plot  to  take  the  king's  life,  and  to  slay  Mon- 
seigneur  has  been  discovered,  and  the  citizens  are 
crying  for  vengeance  on  the  Huguenots." 

"  Guise  and  Anjou  will  see  to  it  that  they  get  their 
vengeance,"  I  remarked,  for  it  was  no  longer  possible 
to  doubt  that  our  enemies  had  determined  on  our 
destruction.  We  had  put  our  trust  in  Charles  ;  if  he 
deserted  us  it  was  all  over. 

"  At  least,"  said  La  Bonne,  "if  we  have  to  die,  we 
will  die  like  men." 

"  With  our  swords  in  our  hands,  and  not  in  their 
scabbards  !  "  exclaimed  FeHx,  and  a  fierce  growl  of 
approval  greeted  his  words. 

As  the  day  wore  to  a  close  it  became  more  and  more 
plain  that,  as  my  comrade  had  declared,  we  were  like 
hunted  animals  caught  in  a  trap.  We  might  sell  our 
lives  dearly,  but  we  could  not  hope  to  fight  suc- 
cessfully against  the  royal  troops  and  a  city  in 
arms. 

Only  one  chance  of  escape  presented  itself.  By 
banding  together  and  making  a  determined  rush  we 
might  force  a  passage  through  the  streets,  and  seek 
safety  in  flight ;  but  to  do  this  we  must  abandon  our 
illustrious  chief,  whose  weakness  prevented  him  from 
being  moved.  I  hope  it  is  needless  to  add  that  every 
Huguenot  gentleman  in  Paris  would  have  lost  his  life 
fifty  times  over  rather  than  have  agreed  to  such  a  base 
proceeding. 


300     What  will  the  King  do  ? 

About  seven  o'clock  in  the  evening  many  of  Navarre's 
gentlemen  left  the  house,  and  some  of  us  accompanied 
them  to  the  end  of  the  street.  La  Bonne  having  re- 
ceived favourable  news  from  the  palace,  our  alarm, 
in  consequence,  had  begun  to  subside,  though  we  still 
remained  a  trifle  anxious. 

We  were  returning  in  a  body  to  the  hotel,  Felix  and 
I  being  the  last  of  the  company,  when  a  man  slipped 
a  paper  into  my  hand  and  instantly  disappeared. 

"  Another  warning  from  your  strange  friend,  I  sup- 
pose," said  Fehx. 

I  opened  the  paper  and  read  hurriedly :  "  Bring 
Monsieur  Bellievre  with  you  shortly  after  midnight, 
and  meet  me  at  the  little  gate  of  the  Louvre  where  I 
saw  you  before.  Wrap  yourselves  up  closely,  and 
attract  as  Uttle  attention  as  possible.  Do  not  fail 
to  come,  as  I  have  important  news. — D'Angely." 

"  Are  you  sure  this  is  not  a  second  invitation  from 
the  lawyer  ?  "  my  comrade  asked. 

"  It  appears  to  be  L'E^tang's  handwriting." 

"  So  did  the  other  note." 

"  True,  but  Etienne  Cordel  would  not  bait  a  trap 
for  you.  He  bears  you  no  grudge,  and  besides  you 
would  only  be  in  his  way  !  " 

"  Yes,"  said  my  comrade,  "  there  is  something  in 
that.    WiU  you  go  ?  " 

"  Why  not  ?  We  may  learn  something  that  will 
be  useful  to  our  chief.  L'Estang  wishes  me  well,  and 
in  order  to  save  my  life  he  may  be  tempted  to  disclose 
what  he  knows  of  Guise's  conspiracy ;  for  I  feel  sure 
there  is  one." 


What  will  the  King  do  ?     301 

"  If  it  will  serve  the  Admiral,"  said  Felix  hesi- 
tatingly. 

"  It  may.  I  cannot  tell,  but  it  is  worth  running  a 
little  risk  to  discover." 

"  He  has  chosen  an  odd  time  and  an  odd  place.** 

"  He  cannot  meet  us  in  broad  day,  and  a  thousand 
causes  may  prevent  him  from  coming  to  this  quarter. 
You  must  remember  he  is  Anjou's  servant,  and  he 
will  not  wish  to  draw  suspicion  upon  himself." 

"  Very  well,"  said  my  comrade,  "  we  will  go.  Car- 
naton  and  La  Bonne  are  on  duty  to-night." 

As  the  evening  closed  in  the  streets  began  to  empty  ; 
our  comrades  went  off  to  their  lodgings,  and  by  nine 
o'clock  there  were  few  of  us  left  in  the  hdtel.  Tehgny 
and  De  Guerchy  were  in  the  sick-room,  and  with  them 
Pare,  the  surgeon,  and  the  Admiral's  chaplain,  Pastor 
Merhn ;  Camaton  and  La  Bonne  dozed  in  the  ante- 
chamber, while  Yolet  was  posting  the  five  Switzers 
who  formed  part  of  Navarre's  bodyguard. 

"  It  seems  as  if  we  shall  have  a  quiet  night,  Yolet," 
I  remarked. 

"  The  danger  has  blown  over,"  he  answered. 
"  Charles  was  frightened  into  beheving  we  intended 
to  murder  him,  but  the  King  of  Navarre  has  opened 
his  eyes.  The  real  plotters  will  have  an  unwelcome 
surprise  in  a  day  or  two.  I  heard  De  Guerchy 
telling   the   Admired." 

"  Oh,"  said  I,  quite  relieved  by  this  inform- 
ation, "  if  the  king  keeps  firm,  we  have  nothing  to 
fear." 

"  Trusting   to   the   king,"    remarked   my   comrade, 


302     what  will  the  King  do  ? 

who  always  spoke  of  Charles  as  a  puppet  in  the  hands 
of  his  mother  and  brother,  "  is  trusting  to  a  broken 
reed.  For  my  part  I  hope  the  instant  our  chief  is 
strong  enough  to  travel  he  will  hasten  to  Rochelle. 
I  have  more  faith  in  a  keen  blade  than  in  a  king's 
promise,"  and  from  Yolet's  face  one  would  have  judged 
he  was  of  the  same  opinion. 

About  a  quarter  before  midnight  he  came  with  us 
to  open  the  front  gate,  and  to  fasten  it  after  our  de- 
parture. We  had  told  him  something  of  our  errand, 
and  he  advised  us  to  go  to  work  very  warily,  saying, 
"  Do  not  forget  that  a  dog  isn't  dead  because  he  has 
ceased  barking  !  " 

We  shpped  into  the  street  and  he  fastened  the  gate 
quietly.  It  was  fairly  dark  now,  and  being  closely 
muffled  in  our  mantles  there  was  Uttle  chance  of  our 
being  recognized.  Cossein's  soldiers  were  appar- 
ently asleep  ;  no  lights  gleamed  anywhere  ;  the  Rue 
des  Fosses  de  St.  Germain  was  empty. 

On  approaching  nearer  the  Louvre,  however,  we 
observed  a  body  of  citizens,  armed,  and  marching 
with  some  sort  of  military  discipline.  We  had  barely 
time  to  conceal  ourselves  in  a  doorway  before  they 
came  by,  so  close  to  us  that  we  could  almost  count 
their  numbers. 

"  What  does  that  mean  ? "  asked  my  comrade 
when  at  last  we  ventured  out  again.  "  Where  are 
those  fellows  going  ?  Edmond,  I  don't  like  the  look 
of  that ;    it  is  suspicious." 

"  On  the  contrary,  it  has  helped  to  remove  my  sus- 
picion," I  answered.     "  They  are  under  the  provost's 


What  will  the  King  do  ?     303 

orders,  and  he  would  not  dare  to  muster  them  except 
by  the  king's  instructions." 

"  From  which  you  think ?  " 

"  That  Charles  is  taking  measures  in  our  favour  on 
his  own  account." 

"  I  hope  you  will  prove  a  true  prophet,  though  I 
do  not  feel  very  sanguine." 

The  delay  caused  us  to  be  a  trifle  late  in  keeping 
our  appointment,  and  when  we  reached  the  place  of 
meeting  no  one  was  to  be  seen.  For  half  an  hour  we 
walked  softly  to  and  fro,  keeping  in  the  shadow  of  the 
wall,  watching  keenly,  and  hstening  for  the  sound 
of  a  footstep. 

It  was  strange  that  L'Estang  should  not  be 
there,  and  I  had  a  vague,  uneasy  feeling  that  it  was 
impossible  to  banish.  Felix,  too,  became  fidgety, 
and  at  last  said  in  a  whisper,  "  Edmond,  let  us  return ; 
there  is  something  wrong,  I  am  sure  of  it !  " 

"  Nonsense,"  I  replied,  more  to  keep  up  my  own 
spirits  than  for  any  other  reason  ;  "  a  hundred  things 
may  have  kept  the  man  from  coming.  Besides,  what 
is  there  to  fear  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,"  he  admitted,  "  but  I  am  certain 
there  is  mischief  afoot.  It  may  be  the  darkness  and  the 
silence.  Listen  !  "  and  he  caught  me  by  the  arm,  "  do 
you  hear  that  ?  Horses,  Edmond,  and  horsemen ! 
Where  are  they  ?  " 

Listening  intently  I  recognized  the  sounds.  Soldiers 
were  gathering  inside  the  groimds.  Where  could  they 
be  going  at  this  time  ?  Once  more  I  slipped  back  to  the 
little  gate,  calling  softly  "  D'Angely  !  "  but  there  was  no 


304     what  will  the  King  do  ? 

response.  The  adventurer  for  once  had  failed  me.  I 
returned  to  my  comrade,  who  was  now  trembUng  with 
excitement. 

"  There  is  some  terrible  business  on  hand  !  "  said  he. 
"  What  can  it  mean  ?  " 

"  Let  us  wait  here  ;  we  may  discover  the  secret." 

"  Yes,"  he  answered  bitterly,  "  when  it  is  too  late  ! 
We  have  all  been  blind  fools,  Edmond,  from  Navarre 
downwards.    Ah,  they  are  coming  out — horse  and  foot." 

It  was  too  dark  for  us  to  distinguish  them  closely, 
but  we  [could  make  out  a  group  of  officers  riding 
a  little  ahead,  a  number  of  troopers,  and  two  or  three 
score  foot-soldiers.  They  proceeded  at  a  walking  pace, 
making  scarcely  any  sound. 

"  Let  us  follow,"  whispered  Felix,  and  he  was  in  such 
a  restless  state  that,  although  unwilling  to  leave  with- 
out having  met  L'Estang,  I  offered  no  objection. 

Silently,  and  keeping  well  in'the  shadow  of  the  houses, 
we  stole  after  them,  creeping  like  unquiet  spirits  through 
the  streets  of  the  sleeping  city.  At  first  we  imagined  they 
were  going  to  the  Hotel  de  Guise,  and  it  was  only  on 
entering  the  Rue  des  Fosses  de  St.  Germain  that  the 
dreadful  truth  flashed  across  our  minds. 

"  They  are  going  to  murder  the  Admiral !  "  whispered 
my  comrade  with  a  groan.  "  Edmond,  can  we  do 
nothing  ?    Is  there  no  way  of  warning  La  Bonne  ?  " 

"  I  fear  not,  we  cannot  get  pcist  the  troops." 

Even  had  that  been  possible  it  would  have  proved  of 
but  little  service.  The  leaders  quickened  their  pace  ;  the 
whole  body  swept  round  the  corner  ;  they  were  in  front 
of  the  building  ;  only  by  the  roof  could  any  one  escape  ; 


What  will  the  King  do  ?     305 

and  the  Admiral,  alas !  could  not  walk  even  across  his 
chamber. 

The  blood  ran  cold  in  my  veins  ;  it  seemed  as  if  my 
heart  had  ceased  to  beat.  Death  was  calling  for  my  be- 
loved chief,  and  I  was  powerless  to  keep  the  grisly  visitor 
at  bay.  I  felt  Felix  fumbling  at  his  sword,  and,  gripping 
him  firmly  by  the  wrist,  whispered,  "  Keep  still !  What 
can  you  do  ? " 

"  Die  with  him  !  "  he  answered  fiercely. 

"  Nonsense  !  "  I  said  coldly,  for  I  had  no  wish  to  see 
him  butchered  uselessly  before  my  eyes,  "  you  cannot  do 
even  that !  You  will  be  slain  before  you  have  moved 
three  yards.  And  I  will  not  let  you  throw  your  life 
away.     Live,  my  friend,  live  to  avenge  him  !  " 

"  Ah,"  he  whispered,  "  that  is  well  said,  Edmond. 
Take  your  hand  off  me.  I  am  calm  enough  now.  Ah, 
they  are  knocking  at  the  gate.  Listen  !  '  In  the  king's 
name  ! '  That  is  Guise's  voice.  Will  they  open,  think 
you,  Edmond  ?  " 

I  had  dragged  him  into  a  doorway,  so  that  the  troopers 
might  not  see  us,  but  by  this  time  there  was  little  danger 
of  detection  ;  the  noise  had  aroused  the  neighbou  rhood, 
and  many  citizens  were  already  in  the  street. 

"  Yes,"  I  said,  "  they  will  think  it  is  a  messenger  from 
Charles.  See  !  "  for  the  dawn  was  breaking  now,  "  there 
Ls  Guise !  " 

"  And  Angouleme  !  And  Cosseins  !  He  has  come 
to  defend  the  Admiral !  Let  us  go  nearer,  Edmond ; 
they  will  not  bother  about  us  !  " 

Leaving  the  shelter  of  the  doorway  we  mingled  with 
the  crowd,  pressing  close  upon  the  heels  of  the  troops. 
F.A.  20 


3o6     What  will  the  King  do  ? 

For  several  minutes  we  waited  in  breathless  suspense  ; 
then  the  gate  was  opened  ;  there  was  a  wild  rush  ;  a 
cry  of  warning,  stifled  suddenly,  rang  out,  and  the  troop- 
ers surged  into  the  courtyard. 

"  That  was  La  Bonne's  voice,"  I  said  with  a  shudder, 
"  he  has  learned  the  value  of  a  king's  promise." 

Drawing  our  mantles  up  to  our  faces,  we  ran  with 
the  rest  to  the  courtyard.  Already  the  house  was  filled 
with  soldiers,  and  several  shrieks  of  agony  told  us  that 
they  were  killing  even  the  poor  servants.  We  heard 
sterner  shouts  also,  and  hoped  in  our  hearts  that  Carna- 
ton,  Yolet,  and  the  few  Switzers  were  making  Guise's 
butchers  pay  dearly  for  their  cruel  treachery. 

Guise  and  Angouleme  had  not  entered  the  house  ;  they 
were  standing  in  the  courtyard,  beneath  the  window  of 
the  Admiral's  room,  awaiting  the  completion  of  the  brut  a 
work.  We  heard  the  crashing  of  timber,  the  cries  of  the 
Switzers,  and  then  the   tramp  of  feet  up  the  stairway 

Suddenly  the  sound  ceased,  and  Felix,  turning  to  me, 
whispered,  "  They  have  broken  into  his  room  !  " 

An  awful  silence  fell  upon  us  in  the  courtyard  as  we 
stood  there  waiting  for  the  end  of  the  ghastly  tragedy. 


CHAPTER   XXVII 
The   Day  of  the    Massacre 

I  ALWAYS  think  of  this  incident  in  my  life  with  a  certain 
amount  of  shame  ;  yet  even  now  I  cannot  see  in  what  I 
failed.  My  comrade  and  I  would  have  spent  our  lives 
freely  in  the  Admiral's  defence,  but  what  could  we  do  ? 
To  fight  our  way  through  that  mob  of  soldiers  was  im- 
possible ;  we  could  not  have  taken  two  steps  without  be- 
ing killed. 

And  yet — and  yet — perhaps  it  would  have  been  the 
nobler  part  to  have  died  with  our  chief !  I  remember 
the  look  on  Roger  Braund's  face  when  he  heard  the 
story —  an  expression  that  plainly  asked,  "  How  comes 
it  then  that  you  are  still  ahve  ?  " 

If  we  did  indeed  act  the  coward's  part  the  blame  must 
rest  on  my  shoulders  ;  but  for  me  FeUx  would  have  flung 
himself  at  the  troopers  and  died  with  the  old  battle-cry 
"  For  the  Admiral !  "  on  his  hps.  It  was  I  who,  re- 
garding such  sacrifice  as  sheer  folly,  kept  him  back, 
though  my  blood  boiled  and  my  heart  ached  at  what  was 
going  forward. 

Presently  a  man  wearing  a  corslet  and  waving  a 

sword  dyed  red  with  blood  appeared  at  the  window  of  the 

ao7 


3o8     The  Day  of  the  Massacre 

sick-room.  "  It  is  done,  my  lord  !  "  cried  he  lustily,  "  it 
is  all  over." 

"  Where  is  the  body  ?  "  asked  Guise  brutally.  "  Mon- 
seigneur  d'Angouleme  will  not  beHeve  unless  he  sees  the 
body." 

I  was  beside  myself  with  grief  and  passion  ;  yet  even 
at  that  awful  moment  I  gripped  Fehx  tightly,  bidding 
him  control  himself.  "  We  must  live,  and  not  die  !  " 
I  whispered. 

Behm,  and  Cosseins,  and  a  trooper  in  the  dark  green 
and  white  uniform  of  Anjou's  guard  approached  the 
window,  half  dragging,  half  carrying  a  hfeless  body. 
Raising  it  up,  they  flung  it,. as  if  it  were  the  carcase  of  a 
sheep,  into  the  courtyard,  Behm  exclaiming,  "  There  is 
your  enemy  ;  he  can  do  little  harm  now  !  " 

"  Yes,  it  is  he,"  said  Guise,  spurning  the  dead  hero  with 
his  foot,  "  I  know  him  well.  We  have  made  a  good  be- 
ginning, my  men  ;  let  us  finish  the  business.  Forward, 
in  the  king's  name  !  " 

Our  cry  of  agony  was  drowned  by  the  shouting  of  the 
troopers,  and  the  next  moment  we  were  swept  with  the 
rest  of  the  crowd  from  the  courtyard  into  the  narrow 
street.  Suddenly,  as  if  it  were  a  signal,  the  great  bell 
of  St.  Germain  I'Auxerrois  began  to  toll ;  other  bells  in 
the  neighbourhood  clanged  and  clashed,  and  mingUng 
with  their  sounds  were  the  fierce  cries  of  "  Kill  the 
Huguenots!     KiU  !     KiU  !  "       . 

Felix  turned  to  me  with  a  look  of  horror.  "It  is  a 
planned  massacre  !  "  he  exclaimed,  "  our  comrades  will 
be  murdered  in  their  beds  !  " 

We  were  borne  along  helplessly  in  the  midst  of  the 


The  Day  of  the  Massacre    309 

crowd.  In  all  the  world,  I  think,  no  one  could  have 
ever  beheld  a  more  fearful  spectacle.  The  men  and 
women  were  mad  with  passion  ;  their  faces  were  as  the 
faces  of  fiends  ;  already  some  of  their  weapons  were 
wet  with  blood.  Each  had  a  white  band  bound  round 
the  arm,  and  most  of  them  wore  a  white  cross  in  their 
caps. 

Guise  and  Angouleme  rode  off  with  their  troopers  to 
carry  on  the  terrible  work  elsewhere,  and  they  bade  the 
citizens  slay  and  spare  not.  Crash  went  the  doors  of 
the  houses  where  the  Huguenots  lived  ;  shrieks  of  de- 
pair  and  cries  of  "  Kill !  Kill !  "  rose  on  the  air ;  the 
glare  of  numerous  torches  lit  up  the  hideous  scene. 

"  Drag  them  out !  " 

"  Death  to  the  Huguenots  !  " 

"  Bum  the  houses  !  " 

"  Long  live  the  Duke  of  Guise  !  " 

"  Throw  them  from  the  windows  !  '* 

"  Kill  the  whole  brood  !  " 

Very  soon  the  street  was  dotted  with  dead  bodies. 
The  unhappy  people,  roused  from  sleep  by  the  yells  of 
the  mob,  could  offer  but  httle  resistance ;  they  were 
slain  in  their  beds,  or  escaped  from  the  murderers  only 
to  be  killed  in  the  streets. 

But  every  one  did  not  die  tamely.  At  one  spot  we 
saw  about  a  dozen  of  our  comrades,  some  only  half 
dressed,  standing  shoulder  to  shoulder,  with  their  backs 
to  the  wall  and  holding  the  mob  at  bay.  At  this  sight 
Felix,  wrapping  his  mantle  round  his  left  arm  and 
drawing  his  sword,  ran  toward  them,  crying  defiantly, 
"  Coligny !  Coligny  !    For  the  Admiral !  " 


3IO    The  Day  of  the  Massacre 

It  was  a  daring  venture,  and  yet  no  more  dangerous 
than  remaining  in  the  crowd,  where  we  must  shortly  have 
been  discovered. 

"  Coligny  !  Coligny  !  **  shouted  the  fighters  by  the 
wall,  and  the  very  sound  of  the  name  inspired 
them  with  fresh  courage.  One  of  the  ruffians  pushed  at 
Felix  with  his  pike,  but  he,  with  a  vigorous  stroke,  clave 
him  from  the  shoulder,  and  our  comrades  cheered  again 
as  the  rascal  fell. 

"  This  way,  Bellidvre,"  they  cried  ;  "  this  way,  Le 
Blanc  !    Where  is  the  Admiral  ?  " 

"  Murdered  !  "  answered  Felix  bitterly,  "  and  thrown 
like  a  dog  into  the  courtyard  of  his  own  house." 

His  words  sent  a  thrill  of  horror  through  the  little  band. 
Coligny  murdered !  Their  noble  chief  done  to  death 
by  a  pack  of  human  wolves  !  Their  eyes  flashed  fire  ; 
they  set  their  teeth  hard,  and  one,  a  strong,  sturdy  fellow 
from  Chatillon,  crying  "  Vengeance  for  Coligny  !  "  sprang 
at  the  howling  mob.  Three  times  his  blade  gleamed  in 
the  air,  and  each  time  it  descended  a  man  fell. 

"  Three  for  Coligny  !  "  he  cried  grimly,  springing  back 
to  his  place. 

It  was  a  fearful  conflict,  chiefly  because  we  had  no 
hope.  We  could  fight  to  the  death,  but  there  was  no 
escape.  The  men  with  the  pikes  rushed  at  us  repeatedly ; 
we  beat  them  off,  and  the  heap  of  their  slain  grew  steadily 
larger,  but  we  had  lost  two  of  our  number,  and  were 
worn  with  fatigue.  And  presently  from  the  rear  of  the 
mob  there  arose  a  shout  of  "  Anjou  !  Anjou !  "  as  if 
Monseigneur  himself  or  some  of  his  troopers  had  arrived 
to  complete  our  destruction. 


The  Day  of  the  Massacre    311 

**  Let  us  defend  the  house  !  "  exclaimed  Fehx,  "  we 
can  kill  more  from  the  inside  !  "  and  the  rest  agreed. 

The  door  of  the  house  to  which  my  comrade  pointed 
had  been  smashed  ;  the  building  itself  contained  no  one 
but  the  dead.  We  worked  our  way  along,  keeping  the 
mob  at  bay  with  our  swords,  imtil  we  were  all  in  shelter  ; 
then  they  came  with  a  terrific  rush,  but  the  foremost 
were  wounded  or  slain,  and  their  bodies  blocked  the 
entrance. 

"  Drag  the  furniture  into  the  passage  !  "  cried  Felix  ; 
but  we  had  not  the  time.  Roused  to  desperation  by  their 
losses,  the  mob  surged  through  the  doorway,  trampling 
upon  their  fallen  comrades,  screaming  "  Kill  the  Hugue- 
nots !  "  flinging  themselves  upon  us  with  a  fury  we  could 
not  withstand. 

Back  we  went  to  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  where  not  more 
than  two  men  could  stand  abreast ;  the  passage  was 
packed  with  a  swaying,  struggling  mass  that  forced  a 
way  by  its  own  weight.  "  Kill !  Kill !  "  they  screamed, 
and  we  answered  with  defiant  shouts  of  "  Coligny ! 
Coligny  !      For  the  Admiral." 

They  gained  the  lowest  stair,  and  then  another ;  it 
was  evident  we  could  not  hold  out  much  longer,  but  the 
knowledge  had  no  effect  on  our  courage.  As  FeUx  said, 
we  could  die  but  once.  On  the  landing  at  the  top  of  the 
stairs  were  two  rooms,  but  our  numbers  were  not  strong 
enough  to  garrison  them  both.  There  were  only  seven 
of  us  left,  and  not  one  unwounded. 

"  The  end  is  close  now,"  cried  my  comrade,  "  but  we 
will  die  hard  for  the  honour  of  the  Admiral." 

"  Well  said,  BeUi^vre ! "  and  qnce  more  the  familiar 


312     The  Day  of  the  Massacre 

battle-cry  "  Coligny  !  Coligny !  For  the  Admiral !  " 
rang  out. 

"  Good-bye,  Edmond.    I  am  glad  Jeanne  is  safe." 

"  Farewell,  Felix.  Ah  !  "  Our  two  comrades  near- 
est the  door  were  down,  and  the  angry  mob,  lusting  for 
blood,  burst  into  the  room.  We  numbered  five  now,  and 
a  minute  later  four. 

"For  the  Admiral!"  cried  Fehx,  running  a  man  through 
the  chest,  but  before  he  could  withdraw  his  sword  a 
violent  blow  from  a  club  struck  him  to  the  ground. 

We  were  three  now,  all  faint,  weary,  and  wounded. 
We  were  entirely  at  the  mercy  of  our  assailants.  They 
leaped  at  us,  brandishing  their  weapons,  and  yelling 
exultingly. 

"  CoHgny  !  Coligny  I  shouted  in  defiance.  Crash  ! 
I  was  down,  and  almost  immediately  afterwards  the 
noise  and  the  shouting  died  away.  I  was  dimly  con- 
scious of  some  one  bending  over  me,  and  then  knew 
no  more. 

I  opened  my  eyes  in  a  small  room  almost  bare  of  furni- 
ture. I  was  lying  dressed,  on  a  bed  ;  my  head  was  ban- 
daged ;  every  muscle  of  my  body  ached  with  pain. 
Forgetting  what  had  happened,  I  called  for  Jacques,  and 
then  for  Felix,  but  by  degrees  the  sickening  events  of 
the  awful  tragedy  came  back  to  my  memory. 

Getting  down  from  the  bed,  I  crossed  the  room  slowly 
and  cautiously,  and  tried  the  door  ;  it  was  fastened  from 
the  outside.  I  went  back  to  the  Uttle  window  for  the 
purpose  of  looking  into  the  street.  It  was  crowded 
with  people  wearing  white  crosses  in  their  hats  and  white 
bands  round  their  arms. 


The  Day  of  the  Massacre   313 

Then,  for  the  first  time,  I  noticed  that  some  one  had 
tied  a  white  band  round  my  arm.  I  tore  the  accursed 
emblem  off,  and  trampled  it  underfoot,  in  a  fit  of  childish 
rage. 

The  citizens  were  dancing,  shouting,  and  yelling  like 
maniacs.  They  were  armed  with  clubs  and  pikes  and 
swords,  and  one  could  see  the  clots  of  blood  clinging  to 
the  deadly  weapons.  I  stood  at  the  window  horrified, 
yet  fascinated  by  the  dreadful  sight.  A  soldier,  evidently 
an  officer  of  high  rank,  rode  past  cheering  and  waving 
a  blood-stained  sword.  I  caught  sight  of  his  face,  and 
recognized  Marshal  Tavannes. 

Directly  afterwards,  a  man  chased  by  human  blood- 
hounds from  the  shelter  of  a  neighbouring  house  darted 
into  the  midst  of  the  crowd.  He  twisted  and  doubled, 
running  now  this  way,  now  that,  like  a  hunted  hare.  The 
assassins  struck  at  him  fiercely  as  he  ran,  holding  his 
hands  above  his  head  to  protect  himself. 

A  blow  from  a  club  struck  one  arm,  and  it  dropped  to 
his  side,  broken.  He  turned  sharply  ;  a  ruffian  pricked 
him  with  his  knife  ;  he  staggered  forward,  lurched, 
swayed  to  and  fro,  and  finally  fell.  I  closed  my  eyes  in 
order  not  to  see  the  end  of  the  ghastly  tragedy. 

Presently  a  cart  rumbled  slowly  along.  Men  and 
women  danced  round  about  it,  shouting  and  jeering,  and 
brandishing  their  pikes  and  clubs.  The  clumsy  vehicle 
was  packed  with  human  beings,  bound  hand  and  foot, 
and  tied,  as  far  as  I  could  see,  two  together.  They 
lay  in  a  confused  heap,  some  of  them  wounded  and 
bleeding. 

I  wondered  in  a  dull  sort  of  way  where  they  were 


314    The  Day  of  the  Massacre 

being  taken.  I  learned  later  that  they  were  flung  one 
and  two  at  a  time  into  the  Seine,  while  their  savage 
enemies  watched  them  drown. 

Sick  at  heart,  and  stricken  with  horror,  I  lay  down 
again  upon  the  bed.  My  misery  was  so  intense  that  I 
cared  nothing  about  my  own  fate.  Coligny  was  dead  ;  I 
had  seen  Felix  killed  before  my  eyes  ;  most  of  the  gallant 
gentlemen  who  had  been  my  true  and  loyal  comrades 
were  slain — ^what  mattered  it  whether  I  lived  or  died  ? 
Strangely  enough,  perhaps,  I  did  not  even  ask  myself 
how  I  had  escaped  the  awful  butchery. 

Shortly  after  noon,  the  door  was  opened,  and  some  one 
entered  the  room.  I  expected  to  see  a  ruffian  with  a 
blood- red  pike ;  my  visitor  was  a  pale  but  pretty  woman, 
carrying  a  bowl  of  soup. 

"  Drink  this,  monsieur,"  she  said,  "  it  will  give  you 
strength.     Renaud  will  return  in  the  evening." 

"  Renaud !  "  I  exclaimed,  "  do  you  mean  Renaud 
L'Estang  ?    Do  I  owe  my  life  to  him  ?  " 

"  He  is  a  brave  man,"  she  answered,  "  he  saved  your 
life  at  the  risk  of  his  own  ;  but  I  must  go  again.  Do 
not  make  any  sound,  monsieur.  If  the  citizens  were 
aware  of  your  being  here  they  would  murder  us." 

She  went  out  and  fastened  the  door,  leaving  me 
to  drink  the  soup  at  my  leisure.  So,  it  was  Renaud 
L'Estang  who  had  saved  me.  Truly  that  little  action 
of  mine  in  Rochelle  had  borne  good  fruit. 

Several  times  during  the  afternoon  I  returned  to  the 
window  overlooking  the  narrow  street,  but  toward 
evening  I  lay  down  and  slept,  and  when  a  noise  at  the 
door  wakened  me  the  room  was  nearly  dark. 


The  Day  of  the  Massacre     315 

"  Monsieur,"  a  voice  exclaimed,  "  are  you  awake  ? 
Do  not  be  alarmed  ;  it  is  I — L'Estang." 

Hearing  me  move,  he  closed  the  door  softly,  and 
came  across  to  the  bed.  "  You  are  better,"  he  said,  "  I 
am  glad  of  that,  as  you  must  leave  Paris.  I  have  saved 
your  hfe  thus  far,  but  it  will  be  impossible  to  do  so  much 
longer.  Cordel  has  discovered  that  you  are  alive,  and  his 
fellows  are  searching  for  your  hiding-place.  You  must 
go  to  RocheUe  at  once  ;  that  is  your  only  place  of 
safety." 

"  It  is  easy  to  say  '  Go  to  Rochelle,'  "  I  answered 
a  trifle  bitterly,  "  but  how  is  it  to  be  done  ?  The 
streets  are  filled  with  my  enemies  who  will  kill  me  with- 
out mercy,  and  the  gates,  no  doubt,  are  strictly 
watched." 

"  Yes,"  he  replied  slowly,  "  the  sentries  have  been 
doubled,  still  it  is  not  impossible  to  get  through,  while 
to  stay  here  means  death.  For  the  sake  of  your  sister 
you  should  endeavour  to  Uve." 

"  What  do  you  propose  ?  "  I  asked. 

"  I  have  a  pass  from  Monseigneur  in  my  pocket. 
The  officer  on  duty  is  commanded  to  let  myself  and  Louis 
Bourdonais  leave  the  city  without  question  or  delay. 
For  the  time  being  you  are  Louis  Bourdonais.  As  soon 
as  the  night  becomes  darker  I  will  bring  a  carriage  to 
the  house,  you  will  enter,  and  we  will  drive  to  the  gate 
of  St.  Jacques.  Unless  you  are  recognized  there  is  no 
danger." 

"  Ajid  if  I  am  ?  " 

"  Then,"  said  he,  "  I  fear  you  will  share  the  fate  of 
your  friends." 


3  1 6     The  Day  of  the  Massacre 

"  And  you  ?  " 

He  shrugged  his  shoulders  carelessly,  saying,  "  Have 
no  fear  for  me  ;  I  can  easily  make  my  peace  with  Mon- 
seigneur." 

There  seemed  to  me  something  cowardly  in  this  run- 
ning away  from  danger,  but  L'Estang  mocked  at  my 
scruples. 

"  What  can  you  do  ?  "  he  asked.  "  At  present  there 
is  no  Huguenot  party.  The  Admiral,  Teligny,  La 
Rochefoucalt,  De  Guerchy,  all  are  dead ;  Henry  of 
Navarre  and  Conde  are  both  prisoners,  and  may  be  put 
to  death  at  any  moment ;  your  particular  friend,  Bcl- 
lidvre,  is  slain — I  would  have  saved  him  for  your  sake, 
but  was  too  late.  Now,  if  you  stay  in  Paris,  one  of  two 
things  will  happen.  You  will  be  discovered  here,  when 
every  person  in  the  house  will  be  murdered  ;  or  you  will 
venture  into  the  street  and  be  clubbed  to  death  in  less 
than  five  minutes." 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  drag  you  into  danger." 

"  There  is  no  danger  to  me,"  he  answered  rather 
brusquely,  "  unless  you  are  obstinate." 

"  Then  I  will  go  with  you." 

"  Very  good,"  he  replied,  as  coolly  as  if  we  were  about 
to  embark  on  an  enterprise  of  the  most  ordinary  kind. 
"  I  will  make  my  preparations  and  return  in  a  short 
time." 

He  went  out  softly,  and  I  sat  on  the  side  of  the  bed 
thinking  sadly  over  the  information  he  had  brought. 
There  was  no  Huguenot  party ;  there  were  neither 
leaders  nor  followers.  The  assassins  had  not  only 
lopped  the  branches  but  had  uprooted  the  tree.     Even 


The  Day  of  the  Massacre    317 

Conde  and  Henry  of  Navarre  were  not  safe  from  the 
royal  vengeance  !  The  horror  pressed  upon  me  heavily  ; 
even  now  I  could  scarcely  realize  the  full  extent  of 
the  fearful  business. 

I  still  sat  brooding  when  L'Estang  came  again, 
this  time  bringing  a  light.  He  noticed  the  white 
band  on  the  ground,  and,  stooping,  picked  it  up. 
"  It  may  be  disagreeable,"  he  said,  "  but  it  is  neces- 
sary ;  it  has  saved  your  life  once.  Remember  you  are 
Louis  Bourdonais,  and  he  would  not  refuse  to  wear 
it." 

"  'Tis  horrible  !  "  I  cried,  turning  from  the  badge 
with  loathing. 

"  That  may  be,  but  it  is  a  safeguard  you  cannot 
afford  to  despise.  Lean  on  me  ;  you  are  weaker  than 
I  thought." 

He  supported  me  across  the  room,  down  the  stair- 
way, and  so  to  the  door  of  the  house,  in  front  of  which 
a  carriage  was  drawn  up.  The  coachman  wore  Anjou's 
livery — a  device  of  L'Estang's,  since  the  equipage  did 
not  belong  to  Monseigneur — and  the  crowd  stood 
around  cheering  wildly. 

L'Estang,  fearful  lest  any  of  the  lawyer's  spies  should 
be  there,  helped  me  into  the  carriage  quickly,  jumped 
in  himself,  and  told  the  driver  to  whip  up  his  horses. 
The  worst  of  the  massacre  was  over,  but  the  citizens 
having  tasted  blood  thirsted  for  more,  and,  though 
the  hour  was  so  late,  they  were  roaming  about  in  bands 
shouting  for  vengeance  on  the  Huguenots. 

Our  carriage  being  compelled  to  proceed  slowly,  I 
had  ample  opportunity  to  note  the  traces  of  the  awful 


3  1 8     The  Day  of  the  Massacre 

tragedy.  Every  house  where  a  Huguenot  had  lived 
was  wrecked ;  in  many  instances  the  window-sills 
were  smeared  with  blood,  and  dead  bodies  still  lay 
thick  in  the  streets.  I  shut  my  eyes  tightly,  while 
my  whole  body  was  convulsed  by  a  shudder  of 
horror. 

"  Monsieur,  we  are  at  the  gate.  Turn  your  head 
to  the  left,  so  that  the  officer  may  not  see  your  face 
easily.  If  he  asks  questions,  remember  you  are  Louis 
Bourdonais  of  Monseigneur's  household." 

"  Halt !    Who  goes  there  ?  " 

My  companion  looked  out.  "  We  are  on  Mon- 
seigneur's private  business,"  he  exclaimed.  "  Here 
is  his  pass.  Be  quick,  if  you  please,  we  are  in  a 
hurry." 

The  officer  took  the  paper  and  examined  it  closely. 
"  Where  is  Louis  Bourdonais  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Here  !  "  I  said,  bracing  myself  with  an  effort. 

"  I  wish  Monseigneur  knew  his  own  mind !  "  he 
grumbled,  "  my  orders  were  to  let  no  one  through  !  " 

"  Shall  we  go  back  and  ask  him  to  write  down  his 
reasons  for  the  change  ?  "  asked  L'Estang ;  but  the 
officer  was  already  giving  instructions  for  the  open- 
ing of  the  gate,  and  in  a  few  minutes  we  were  outside 
the  walls. 


CHAPTER   XXVIII 

Farewell    France  ! 

"  The  danger  is  over  !  "  exclaimed  my  companion 
as  we  left  the  city  behind  us ;  "  lean  back  on  the 
cushions  and  try  to  sleep." 

"  There  are  several  questions  I  wish  to  ask  first." 

"  I  will  answer  them  in  the  morning,  when  you 
have  rested,  but  not  now,"  he  said  firmly. 

He  had  brought  a  number  of  cushions  and  rugs,  and 
he  tended  me  as  carefully  as  if  I  had  been  a  delicate 
woman.  And  yet  he  was  in  the  pay  of  the  brutal 
Anjou,  and  perhaps  his  own  hands  were  not  innocent 
of  the  blood  of  my  slain  comrades  ! 

It  might  have  been  that  he  guessed  something  of 
the  thoughts  passing  through  my  mind,  for  he  exclaimed 
suddenly,  "  There  is  one  thing  I  would  say,  monsieur. 
This  massacre  is  none  of  my  seeking,  and  through 
it  all  my  sword  has  never  left  the  scabbard  except  in 
yoiu:  defence.  The  mercy  once  shown  to  me  I  have 
shown  again." 

"  You  are  a  good  fellow,  L'Estang,"  I  murmured, 
"  and  I  thank  you." 

After  that  I  fell  asleep  and  in  spite  of  the  jolting 


320  Farewell     France! 

of  the  carriage  did  not  waken  until  the  sun  was  high 
in  the  heavens. 

"  You  have  wakened  in  time  for  breakfast/'  said 
my  companion,  who  appeared  not  to  have  slept  at 
all ;  "  in  a  few  minutes  we  shall  arrive  at  an  inn  where 
I  intend  to  halt.  I  am  known  there,  and  we  shall 
be  well  treated." 

We  stayed  a  couple  of  hours,  during  which  time 
fresh  horses  were  procured  and  harnessed  to  the  car- 
riage, while  the  coachman  removed  Monseigneur's 
favours  from  his  hat,  and  covered  his  livery  with  a 
blue  overall. 

"  Now,"  I  said,  when  the  journey  was  resumed, 
"  tell  me  why  you  asked  us  to  meet  you  at  the  Louvre, 
and  then  failed  to  keep  the  appointment !  " 

"  I  will  answer  the  last  part  of  the  question  first ; 
the  explanation  is  very  simple.  Monseigneur  needed 
my  attendance,  and  when  I  was  able  to  leave  him 
it  was  too  late." 

"  You  intended  to  give  us  warning  of  this  horrible 
conspiracy  ?  " 

"  No,  I  could  not  betray  my  patron,  but  I  intended 
to  save  you  and  Monsieur  Bellievre.  I  felt  sure  you 
would  not  leave  your  leader ;  I  should  have  despised 
you  if  you  had." 

"  And  rightly,  too." 

"  So,"  he  continued,  "  I  arranged  to  carry  you 
off  by  force,  and  keep  you  shut  up  until  the  danger 
was  past.  Monseigneur,  without  intending  it,  dis- 
turbed my  plans.  Guessing  you  would  return  to 
Coligny's  hotel  I  followed  as  quickly  as  possible  with 


Farewell   France  !  321 


a  few  rascals  who  would  do  my  bidding,  and  ask  no 
questions.     You  were  not  there." 

"  The  troopers  reached  the  hotel  before  us/'  I  ex- 
plained. 

"  I  guessed  what  had  happened,  and  searched  the 
streets.  Finally  I  reached  the  house  where  you  had 
taken  refuge.  I  was  too  late  for  Monsieur  Bellidvre ; 
he  was  dead." 

"  As  true  a  heart  as  beat  in  France  !  "  I  said. 

"  Yes,"  agreed  L'Estang,  "  he  was  a  gallant  young- 
ster. Turning  from  him  I  saw  you  fall,  and  ran  across 
the  room.  The  mob  recognized  me  as  Monseigneur's 
attendant,  or  it  would  have  gone  hard  with  you.  Even 
as  it  was — but  there,  do  the  details  matter  ?  I  go 
you  away  at  last  to  the  room  I  had  prepared  ;  then 
it  was  necessary  to  return  to  my  patron." 

I  endeavoured  to  thank  him,  but  he  would  hear 
nothing,  saying,  "  A  promise  to  the  dead  is  sacred, 
monsieur." 

"  Charles  may  not  be  a  strong  king,"  I  remarked 
some  time  later,  "  but  he  plays  the  hypocrite  vastly 
well.  One  would  have  thought  from  his  visit  to  the 
Admiral  that  he  was  devoured  by  grief." 

"  He  was  both  sorry  and  angry  at  the  attempt  on 
'".oligny's  life  ;    it  was  not  his  work." 

"  But  surely  he  must  have  given  orders  (or  the 
massacre  !  " 

"  Afterwards,  monsieur.     At  first  I  do  not  believe 

that  even  Guise  meant  to  do  more  than  kill  Coligny 

and  a  few  of  the  most  powerful  leaders.    But  they 

were    blinded    by    panic ;     carried     away    by    their 

F^  21 


322  Farewell   France  ! 


own  fears,  and  they  swept  Charles  into  the  same 
stream." 

"  The  world  will  say  the  horrible  tragedy  was  planned 
from  the  beginning." 

"  The  world  may  be  right,  but  I  hardly  think  so. 
No  one,  monsieur,  can  be  more  cruel  than  a  panic- 
stricken  man." 

"  Who  was  it,"  I  asked,  "  that  made  the  first  attempt 
on  the  Admiral's  life  ?  " 

"  Maurevel." 

"  The  king's  assassin  !  '* 

"  The  same  man  ;  but  he  did  not  receive  his  orders 
from  Charles  ;    on  that  point  I  feel  certain." 

"  Henry  of  Navarre  still  lives,"  I  said  after  a  time. 

"  Yes  ;    he  and  Conde  have  been  spared  so  far." 

"  And  their  gentlemen  ?  They  were  lodged  with 
their  chiefs  in  the  Louvre  ;  surely  they  have  not  been 
slain  ?  " 

"  Monsieur,  I  will  tell  you  the  story,  so  that  you 
may  understand  how  utterly  helpless  you  are.  Every 
one  in  the  palace  went  to  bed  that  night,  restless  and 
excited,  afraid  and  yet  not  knowing  of  what  they 
were  afraid.  As  soon  as  day  broke,  Henry  descended 
the  staircase ;  Conde  was  with  him,  and  they  were 
followed  by  their  gentlemen." 

"  They  must  have  numbered  two  hundred !  " 

"  About  that  number.  At  the  foot  of  the  stair- 
case Henry  and  Conde  were  arrested  and  disarmed. 
Their  gentlemen  were  called  by  name,  and  they  stepped 
one  by  one  into  the  courtyard." 

"  Yes,"  I  said,  as  he  hesitated. 


Farewell   France  !  323 


"  The  courtyard  was  filled  with  Swiss  guards.  Your 
colleagues  died  bravely,  monsieur,  some  of  them  defi- 
antly, taunting  the  king  with  their  last  breath." 

"  The  king !  "  I  cried  in  astonishment,  "  where 
was  the  king  ?  " 

"  Looking  from  an  upper  window." 

"  Yet  you  endeavoured  to  make  me  believe  he  was 
not  responsible  for  the  massacre  !  " 

"  I  still  believe  that  to  be  true  ;  but  when  it  began, 
he  became  blood  mad." 

"  De  Pilles  was  at  the  Louvre  !  " 

"  De  Pilles  is  dead  !  Except  Navarre,  who  cannot 
help  even  himself,  you  have  not  a  single  friend  left^ 
You  cannot  return  to  Le  Blanc,  and  wherever  you 
go  you  will  be  hunted  down  by  Cordel's  assassins. 
He  can  strike  at  you  now  without  fear,  and  he  will 
do  so.  He  has  the  promise  of  your  estates,  and  a 
strong  hope  of  a  patent  of  nobility.  You  cannot  leave 
Rochelle,  and  even  there  you  will  not  be  safe." 

"  Your  comfort  is  but  cold,"  I  said,  forcing  m5^elf 
to  laugh. 

"  I  want  you  to  see  the  truth  in  all  its  nakedness, 
so  that  you  may  not  feed  yourself  with  false  hopes," 
he  replied  soberly. 

"  After  what  has  happened  in  Paris  there  is  httle 
chance  of  my  doing  that ;  but  I  miist  have  time  to 
think  ;  I  must  consult  with  my  friends  at  Rochelle." 

By  this  time  the  news  of  the  fearful  massacre  on  the 
day  of  St.  Bartholomew  had  spread  far  and  wide  ; 
the  whole  country  was  wild  with  excitement,  and 
in  the  various  towns  through  which  we  passed  the 


324  Farewell   France  I 


unhappy  Huguenots  were  being  hounded  mercilessly 
to  death.  Thanks,  however,  to  L'Estang,  I  was  never 
in  any  danger,  and  at  length  we  arrived  at  the  gates 
of  what  had  become  a  veritable  city  of  refuge. 

Here,  with  many  expressions  of  good-will  on  both 
sideSj'we  parted,  L'Estang  to  return  to  Paris,  and  I  to 
enter  the  grief-stricken  town.  Numbers  of  fugitives 
thronged  the  streets ;  everywhere  one  saw  groups 
of  men,  and  weeping  women,  and  frightened  children 
who  had  abandoned  their  homes  in  terror. 

I  proceeded  slowly  and  haltingly,  being  still  extremely 
weak,  and  many  a  curious  glance  was  directed  toward 
my  bandaged  head.  Expecting  to  find  Jeanne  at  my 
aunt's  house,  I  went  there  first,  and  in  the  courtyard 
saw  two  horses  saddled  and  bridled  as  if  for  a  journey. 
I  stopped  a  moment  to  speak  to  the  servant,  when  a 
voice  exclaimed  joyfully,  "  'Tis  he !  'Tis  Monsieur 
Edmond  !  "  and  Jacques  came  running  out,  his  face 
beaming  with  delight. 

"  We  were  coming  in  search  of  you,"  he  cried.  "  Mon- 
sieur Braund  is  in  the  house,  bidding  mademoiselle 
farewell.  She  is  terribly  alarmed  on  your  account ; 
she  believes  you  to  be  dead.  She  blames  herself  bit- 
terly for  leaving  you  in  Paris.  Is  the  news  true,  mon- 
sieur ?  Is  it  really  true  that  the  noble  Coligny  has 
been  murdered  ?  " 

"  Yes,"  I  answered  sadly,  "  it  is  too  true.  But 
you  shall  hear  all  about  it  later ;  I  must  go  to  my 
sister." 

Roger  was  endeavouring  to  comfort  her,  but  on 
seeing  me  she  broke  from  him  and  ran  across  the  room, 


Farewell   France  !  325 

crying,  "  Edmond  !  Edmond  !  "  as  if  she  could  scarcely 
credit  the  evidence  of  her  senses. 

"  Did  you  think  I  was  a  ghost,  Jeanne  ?  "  I  asked 
laughingly.  "  'Tis  I,  Edmond,  and  very  much  alive, 
I  assure  you.  Come,  let  me  dry  those  tears  ;  you  will 
spoil  your  pretty  eyes." 

"  Oh,  Edmond,"  she  gasped,  "  I  thought  you  were 
killed  !  And  you  have  been  wounded !  Your  head 
is  bandaged." 

"  I  have  had  a  very  narrow  escape,  Jeanne ;  but 
here  I  am,  and  there  is  no  need  for  any  more  sorrow 
on  my  account." 

"  And  Felix  ?  "  she  cried,  "  has  he  escaped  too  ? 
Where  have  you  left  him  ?  Ah,  he  is  dead  !  I  am 
sure  of  it !     I  can  read  it  in  your  face  !  " 

"  Yes,"  I  answered  sadly,  "  there  have  been  terrible 
doings  in  Paris,  and  Felix  is  among  the  slain." 

"  And  he  was  so  brave  and  good  !  "  she  sobbed. 
"  Poor  Felix  !    Tell  me  about  it,  Edmond." 

When  she  had  become  more  composed  I  related 
the  story  just  as  it  had  happened,  but  softening 
down  the  more  brutal  parts  lest  her  grief  should 
break  out  afresh.  She  was  silent  for  a  little  while, 
but  presently  she  said,  "  The  Cause  is  mined,  Edmond  !  " 

"  Yes,"  I  admitted,  reluctantly,  "  with  all  our  leaders 
slain,  or  in  the  hands  of  the  king,  we  are  powerless. 
And  now,  my  dear  Jeanne,  you  had  better  go  to  your 
room  and  rest  a  while." 

"  But  you  are  hurt !  "  she  exclaimed  anxiously. 

"  The  wound  is  not  serious,  and  it  has  been  skilfully 
dressed.    However,  Roger  shall  fetch  a  surgeon." 


326  Farewell  France  ! 

"  And  you  need  food,"  she  said,  "  you  are  weak  and 
faint.  It  is  you  who  need  rest,  and  I  will  take  care 
of  you." 

"  Very  well,"  I  said,  thinking  it  would  be  better 
perhaps  if  she  had  something  to  occupy  her  mind, 
"  you  shall  nurse  back  my  strength." 

Now  that  the  excitement  of  the  journey  had 
passed  I  felt,  indeed,  painfully  weak,  and  for  several 
days  kept  to  my  bed,  being  waited  upon  by  Jeanne 
and  Roger,  while  Jacques  slept  at  night  in  my 
chamber. 

One  morning  toward  the  end  of  the  week  Roger 
came  as  usual  to  sit  with  me.  Jeanne  was  in  the  room, 
but  she  disappeared  quickly,  her  pretty  cheeks  covered 
with  blushes. 

"  You  have  frightened  Jeanne  away  !  "  I  exclaimed, 
laughing. 

"  She  knows  that  I  wish  to  have  a  talk  with  you," 
he  answered,  and  upon  my  word  he  began  to  blush 
like  an  overgrown  boy. 

"  One  would  fancy  it  a  matter  of  some  import- 
ance !  " 

"^Of  the  greatest  importance,"  he  replied  earnestly, 
"  since  it  affects  all  your  future  life.  Do  you  realize 
that  unless  you  desert  your  faith,  and  go  to  mass, 
your  career  is  ruined  ?  Your  account  of  the  massacre 
was  under  rather  than  over  the  mark.  With  the 
exception  of  Conde  and  Navarre  there  does  not  ap- 
pear to  be  a  single  Huguenot  leader  left,  and  it  is 
reported  that  Condc  has  recanted  in  order  to  save  his 
life." 


Farewell   France  !  327 

"  The  Cause  is  not  dead  because  Cond6  has  for- 
saken it." 

"  No,"  agreed  Roger,  "  but  it  is  dead  neverthe- 
less. Henry  is  a  prisoner  in  Paris ;  the  Huguenots 
are  scattered  and  dispirited ;  they  have  no  leaders, 
no  arms,  no  money  ;  there  is  not  a  single  district  in 
which  they  are  not  at  the  mercy  of  the  king's  troops. 
Already  the  Paris  massacre  has  been  repeated  in  several 
towns." 

"  Well,"  I  said,  wondering  whither  all  this  tended. 

"  You  yourself  cannot  leave  Rochelle  except  at  the 
risk  of  your  life." 

"  Because  of  Cordel  ?  " 

"  Because  of  Cordel.  He  means  to  possess  your 
estates  ;  he  has  a  powerful  patron  in  Anjou,  and  you 
cannot  obtain  the  ear  of  the  king." 

"  'Twould  do  me  little  service  if  I  could  !  " 

"  What  wUl  you  do  m  Rochelle  ?  " 

"  I  shall  not  stay  here  long ;  I  shall  sail  to  our 
colony  in  America,  where  one  can  at  least  worship 
God  in  peace." 

"  Yes,"  he  said  musingly,  "  you  can  do  that " ;  and 
then  as  if  the  thought  had  but  just  occurred  to  him, 
"  it  will  be  a  terribly  rough  life  for  Jeanne — I  mean 
for  your  sister." 

"  I  had  forgotten  Jeanne.  Well,  that  plan  must  be 
given  up." 

"  There  is  one  way  out  of  the  difficulty,"  he  con- 
tinued, coming  finally  to  the  point  toward  which  he 
had  been  leading.  "  I  am  rich,  and  my  own  master. 
I  have  a  good  estate  in  England," 


328 


Farewell  France 


"  Yes,"  I  said,  leaving  him,  rather  ungenerously,  to 
flounder  through  as  best  he  could. 

"  I  love  your  sister,"  he  blurted  out.  "  I  wish 
to  make  her  my  wife.  Do  you  object  to  having  me 
for  a  brother,  Edmond  ?  " 

Now,  I  was  very  fond  of  my  English  friend  ;  he  was 
a  gallant  gentleman,  and  the  soul  of  honour.  To 
be  quite  frank,  I  had  once  hoped  that  Jeanne  would 
marry  Felix,  but  he,  poor  fellow,  was  dead. 

I  gave  Roger  my  hand,  saying,  "  There  is  no  one 
living  to  whom  I  would  rather  trust  my  sister's  happi- 
ness. Besides,  that  gets  rid  of  all  our  difficulties  at 
once.  With  you  to  protect  Jeanne,  I  can  carry  out 
my  plans." 

"  Not  so  fast,  Edmond,"  he  interposed.  "  Jeanne 
is  willing  to  be  my  wife,  but  she  is  not  willing  to  part 
from  you.  She  still  blames  herself  for  leaving  you 
in  Paris,  though  that,  of  course,  is  nonsense.  She 
could  not  have  done  you  any  good." 

"  Most  probably,  had  she  stayed,  both  of  us 
would  have  been  killed.  However,  to  return  to  our 
point ;  I  cannot  ask  you  to  cross  the  ocean  with 
us." 

"  It  is  unnecessary,"  said  he,  smiling  cheerfully  ; 
"  I  can  ask  you  to  cross  the  Channel  with  me.  No, 
don't  speak  yet.  The  scheme  has  several  advan- 
tages. You  will  be  out  of  Cordel's  way,  and  yet  close 
at  hand.  Things  are  bound  to  change.  The  king 
may  die,  or  Henry  of  Navarre  may  obtain  greater 
influence.  He  cannot  be  kept  a  prisoner  all  his 
life,  and  the  time  may  come  when  he  is  once  more 


Farewell  France  !         329 


at  the  head  of  an  army.  That  will  be  your  oppor- 
tunity. A  few  days  will  take  you  across  the  water, 
and  with  Navarre  as  your  friend — for  he  is  not  likely 
to  go  back  on  his  pledged  word — you  can  hope  for 
justice." 

"  There  is  something  in  that,"  I  said  thoughtfully. 

"  There  is  everything,  my  dear  fellow.  Now,  on 
the  other  hand,  by  sailing  to  the  New  World,  you 
will  cut  yourself  off  from  France  for  ever ;  and  lose 
all  chance  of  regaining  your  estates.  The  rascally 
lawyer  will  be  left  to  enjoy  his  stolen  property  in 
peace." 

This  was  an  argument  that  touched  me  nearly, 
and  Roger,  perceiving  the  effect  it  produced,  harped 
upon  it  so  strongly  that  at  last  I  agreed  to  accom- 
pany him  to  his  English  home.  There  was,  however, 
still  my  servant  lo  be  considered,  but  Roger  declared 
merrily  there  was  plenty  of  room  for  Jacques,  who 
should  be  given  the  charge  of  the  stables. 

"  And,"  added  the  generous  fellow,  "  I  shall  be  the 
gainer  by  that,  for  he  is  a  splendid  judge  of  horses  !  " 
which  was  perfectly  true. 

I  had  a  talk  with  Jacques  the  same  evening  and 
asked  him  to  give  me  his  opinion  freely  on  the  sub- 
ject.    The  honest  fellow  did  not  hesitate  an  instant. 

"  Go  with  Monsieur  Braund  by  all  means,"  said 
he.  "  As  long  as  the  King  of  Navarre  remains  a  prisoner 
\-ou  can  do  nothing,  but  directly  he  is  free  you  wiU 
have  a  chance  of  settling  accounts  with  this  Cordel. 
To  go  to  the  New  World  will  be  to  acknowledge 
yourself  beaten." 


330  Farewell    France! 


"  You  are  right,  Jacques,"  I  said ;  "  we  will  stay  in 
England,  and  bide  our  time." 

"  It  will  come,  monsieur,  be  assured  of  that ;  and 
then  let  Etienne  Cordel  look  out  for  himself." 

We  were  still  talking  about  the  lawyer  when  Roger 
came  in,  bringing  a  note  that  had  been  left  by  a  stranger 
at  the  Hotel  Coligny.  It  was  addressed  to  me,  and 
I  recognized  the  handwriting  immediately. 

"  'Tis  from  L'Estang,"  I  said;  "what  can  he  have 
to  say  ?  " 

"  Open  it  and  see,"  suggested  Roger  merrily,  "  that 
is  the  easiest  way  of  finding  out !  " 

The  contents  were  brief,  but  they  made  me  bite 
my  lips  hard.  "  Cordel  has  been  granted  the  Le  Blanc 
estates,  and  in  all  hkeUhood  a  patent  of  nobihty  will 
be  made  out  in  a  few  weeks.  His  assassins  are  still 
seeking  for  you." 

"  WeU,"  said  Roger,  "  as  it  happens,  they  will  seek 
m  vain,  and  when  they  do  find  you,  they  may  be  sorry 
for  the  discovery." 

Now  that  my  decision  was  made,  I  felt  anxious  to 
get  away,  hoping  that  new  scenes  and  new  faces  might 
blunt  the  misery  which  L'Estang's  letter  had  caused 
me.  Roger  was  also  desirous  to  return  immediately, 
and,  as  there  was  a  vessel  timed  to  sail  in  a  few 
days,  he  arranged  that  we  should  take  our  passage  in 
her. 

It  was  a  beautiful  September  morning  when  we 
went  on  board,  and  as  the  ship  moved  slowly  from 
the  harbour  I  took  a  sad  farewell  of  my  fair  but  unhappy 
country.    Stronger  men  might  have  laughed  at  my 


Farewell   France  !  331 

weakness,  but  my  eyes  were  dim  as,  leaning  over  the 
vessel's  side,  I  watched  the  receding  shore.  Who 
could  foretell  if  I  should  ever  behold  my  own  land 
again  ? 

"  Courage,  monsieur  !  "  whispered  Jacques ;  "  we 
shall  return." 

"  Yes,"  I  replied,  with  a  sudden  glow  of  confidence, 
"  we  shall  return ;    let  us  hold  fast  by  that !  " 


L'ENVOI. 

My  story  as  I  set  out  to  tell  it  really  ends  on  the 
day  when  the  White  Rose  left  the  harbour  of  Rochelle, 
but  those  who  have  followed  my  fortunes  thus  far 
may  not  take  it  amiss  if  I  relate  very  briefly  the  upshot 
of  my  adventures. 

Concerning  Jeanne  and  her  English  husband  there 
is  little  to  tell.  Happy,  it  is  said,  is  the  country  that 
has  no  history,  and  their  lives  were  one  long  happi- 
ness, passed  in  their  beautiful  home,  surrounded  by 
friends,  and  blessed  by  the  presence  of  little  children. 

For  four  years  I  stayed  with  them,  until,  indeed, 
the  joyful  news  of  Henry's  escape  from  Paris  sent 
me,  accompanied  by  the  faithful  Jacques,  in  hot  haste 
to  France,  where  the  offer  of  my  services  was  gladly 
accepted  by  the  great  Huguenot  chief. 

"  The  dawn  is  long  in  coming,  Le  Blanc,"  he  said 
kindly ;  "  but  it  will  come  at  last." 

It  would  take  too  long  to  tell  you  of  the  years  of 
strife,  of  our  marches  and  countermarches,  of  our 
defeats  and  victories,  of  how  we  changed  from  hope 
to  despair,  and  from  despair  to  hope,  until  on  that 
memorable  field  of  Ivri  we  smote  our  enemies  hip 
and  thigh,  and  broke  the  League  that  had  brought 
so  much  misery  on  the  country. 

It  was  at  Ivri,  right  at  the  moment  of  triumph,  I 


L'Envoi  333 


lost  Jacques,  who,  through  good  and  Ul,  had  followed 
my  fortunes  with  a  loyalty  and  devotion  that  no  man 
ever  exceeded,  and  fell  just  when  I  had  the  power  to 
reward  his  services. 

Renaud  L'Estang  I  rarely  met  after  my  retiun.  He 
served  his  patron  faithfully  and  well,  and  on  Anjou's 
death  joined  the  household  of  the  Duke  of  Guise,  who 
held  him  in  high  esteem.  He  was,  I  believe,  slain 
in  one  of  the  numerous  skirmishes,  but  even  that  I 
learned  only  by  hearsay. 

In  spite  of  my  vaunts  and  boastings  Etienne  Cordel 
enjoyed  his  ill-gotten  gains  for  several  years,  and  then 
it  was  not  to  me,  but  to  a  higher  judge  he  had  to  render 
his  account. 

But  when  Henry  of  Navarre  became  King  of  France, 
the  estates  of  Le  Blanc  were  restored  to  their  rightful 
owner,  and  in  the  old  castle  to-day,  hung  in  the  place  of 
honour,  is  the  sword  which  Henry  gave  me  at  Amay- 
le-Duc,  and  on  which  he  has  graciously  caused  to  be 
inscribed,  "  From  Henry  of  Navarre  to  the  Sieur  Le 
Blanc." 


UC  SOUTHEBU;  oc/- 


A     000  128  755 


